Report Details Widespread Prisoner Abuse, Torture in Ukraine Conflict

Prisoner abuse, including torture and summary execution, is a daily occurrence on the battlefields of eastern Ukraine, reflecting a brutal, ongoing conflict in which both sides are accused of human rights violations and war crimes, according to an Amnesty International report.
Report Details Widespread Prisoner Abuse, Torture in Ukraine Conflict
Russia-backed rebels walk in the destroyed building of Donetsk Airport just outside Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, on April 2, 2015. OSCE monitors accompanied by pro-Russian rebels visited the ruins of Donetsk Airport and nearby areas to monitor the situation on the ground and discuss the observance of February's cease-fire. AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov
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KYIV, Ukraine—Prisoner abuse, including torture and summary execution, is a daily occurrence on the battlefields of eastern Ukraine, reflecting a brutal, ongoing conflict in which both sides are accused of human rights violations and war crimes, according to an Amnesty International report released this week.

The 36-page report, titled, “Breaking Bodies: Torture and Summary Killings in Eastern Ukraine,” was compiled after interviews with 33 released prisoners of war conducted from March to May this year; 32 of the former prisoners reported mistreatment. Researchers also analyzed X-rays, autopsies, hospital records, photographs, and social media posts.

The heavily damaged Donetsk Airport is seen in Donetsk, Ukraine, on Feb. 26, 2015. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian Army and pro-Russian rebels. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
The heavily damaged Donetsk Airport is seen in Donetsk, Ukraine, on Feb. 26, 2015. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian Army and pro-Russian rebels. Andrew Burton/Getty Images
Nolan Peterson
Nolan Peterson
Author
Nolan Peterson is a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and an independent defense consultant based in Kyiv and Washington. A former U.S. Air Force Special Operations pilot and veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Peterson has more than nine years of experience reporting from Ukraine's front lines.
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