The story of a resident of the Zaporizhzhia region detained by the occupiers.

In early May 2022, in one of the Azov cities of the Zaporizhzhia region, the occupying forces detained a local resident. The man was a meat trader, had no military experience and did not participate in pro-Ukrainian rallies. According to an eyewitness, armed soldiers in pixelated uniforms with white bandages on their hands and feet arrived at his house, accompanied by a car with Russian and ‘DPR’ license plates and an armoured personnel carrier.

During the search, he was not beaten, but his hands were tied, he was put in a car and, presumably, taken to the local police station. According to the man, after his release, he was held for about a day and interrogated about food warehouses. It is possible that they tried to pressure him into cooperating. The man has not been able to leave the occupied territory.

The documentation of war crimes is carried out with the financial support of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC). The views and conclusions expressed in this publication are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the NHC.

Photo NGU.GOV.UA

The association systematically documents war crimes, works to free civilians and supports their families.

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