OSCE Warsaw Human Dimension Conference October 2024 | Reflections on Side-Event on Systematic Torture of Ukrainian Prisoners of War

As part of the OSCE’s Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, the Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC) organized a side event shedding light on one of the darkest chapters of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine: the systematic torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs). The event, moderated by Yiğit Aksakoğlu, Programme Manager Human Rights Defence at the NHC, featured gripping testimonies and insightful legal analysis, calling on the international community to take concrete steps towards justice for victims.

Systematic torture and inhumane conditions

Torture has become a widespread practice, with over 95% of Ukrainian POWs reportedly subjected to it, according to the Head of the UN Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, Danielle Bell. This staggering figure highlights the sheer scale of human rights violations that have become routine in Russian detention centers. The event’s speakers—each bringing a unique perspective—emphasized that these violations are not isolated incidents but part of a coordinated state policy of cruelty.

Olena Turas, a senior combat medic and former POW, delivered a heart-wrenching personal testimony. Captured during the siege of Mariupol, Olena recounted the horrors she faced in Russian detention. From beatings and starvation to psychological torment, her experience illustrated the brutal reality of Russian captivity. She was separated from her husband and only later in captivity found out she was pregnant and never had the chance to tell her husband. She wrote countless letter that never reached him. As Olena noted:

My experience is not unique. Thousands of Ukrainian POWs are enduring the same treatment. Russia is using torture as a weapon—not just against individuals, but against the very identity of Ukraine.

A coordinated state policy

Oleg Gushchyn, representing Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of POWs, spoke about the systematic use of torture against Ukrainian soldiers held in captivity. With over 200 illegal detention sites identified across Russia and Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories, Russia is reviving practices reminiscent of the Soviet-era Gulags. Detainees, both civilians and POWs, are subjected to beatings, torture, extreme cold, overcrowding and forced indoctrination. Many returned to Ukraine dead or severely traumatized, with over 3,000 bodies of POWs and civilians returned thus far.

These locations are not legal detention facilities under international humanitarian law (IHL). As Oleg concluded:

Russia is systematically violating the Geneva Convention, using torture to dehumanize and destroy Ukrainian identity.

Legal pathways to accountability

Gleb Bogush, Research Fellow at the University of Cologne, and Sergiy Petukhov, Senior Lecturer at the Kyiv Mohyla Academy, provided critical legal analysis of the situation and outlining the violations of IHL. The ICC has already issued arrest warrants for senior Russian officials, however, international community needs to hold all levels of the Russian military and government accountable for these crimes.

The lack of fair trial guarantees and the use of Russian criminal proceedings against POWs for propaganda purposes was also highlighted. At least 122 Ukrainian POWs are currently facing criminal charges before Russian courts. Most of Russian lawyers who wanted to assist Ukrainian POWs are not available anymore or in a dangerous position themselves.

The priority now should be to build a strong case for accountability, not just at the ICC but in national courts through universal jurisdiction. We must also support those working inside Russia and the occupied territories to document these abuses. The more evidence we can gather, the stronger the case for prosecution. – Gleb Bogush, Research Fellow at the University of Cologne