According to the report, the Russian authorities systematically and widely use torture and ill-treatment, including sexual violence, against Ukrainian civilians detained in the occupied territories.
Violence and threats
Most of the 215 released civilians interviewed by the Office since June 2023 gave consistent and detailed testimony about the conditions of detention. They described severe beatings, the use of electric shocks, mock executions, prolonged holding in stress positions, death threats and violence against themselves or their loved ones, and incidents of sexual violence. Interviewees described poor conditions of detention, including lack of food and inadequate medical care.
Violations of international law
The report notes that the Russian Federation applies its criminal law in the occupied territories in disregard of international humanitarian law, which obliges it to respect the existing laws of the occupied territory whenever possible. Frequent disregard for legal and procedural safeguards has led to mass cases of arbitrary detention and raised serious concerns about cases of enforced disappearances, the report authors wrote. Families of detainees, according to them, often have little or no information about the fate of their loved ones.
A climate of fear
“The cumulative impact of these measures, along with the lack of accountability, has effectively deprived many Ukrainian civilians of legal protection during their detention and has created an oppressive atmosphere and climate of fear in Ukraine’s occupied territories,” the report said.
According to Ukrainian authorities, the report said, some 1,800 Ukrainian civilians continued to be detained by Russian Federation in the occupied territories in May 2025 for reasons related to the armed conflict, but the real figure is likely much higher.
“Our report reveals human rights violations against civilian detainees. People have been arbitrarily seized right on the streets in the occupied territories, charged on the basis of ever-changing legal provisions and held for days, weeks, months and even years, often restricting their contact with their families,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
“It is crucial that the human rights of civilian detainees, who have been severely affected by this terrible conflict, are prioritised in any peace negotiations,” he stressed.
Detentions in territories under Ukrainian control
The report notes that Ukrainian-controlled territory detains mostly its own citizens on charges related to national security, including treason and sabotage.
Many criminal cases related to the conflict involve accusations of co-operation with the Russian occupation authorities. Individuals have been prosecuted for performing rescue and construction work, providing humanitarian assistance and scavenging during the occupation – activities that the occupation authorities are legally entitled to demand.
The growing number of conflict-related detentions – some 2,258 people held in Ukraine’s official detention centres and correctional facilities as of 21 July 2025, as well as 20,000 open criminal cases – has put a significant strain on Ukraine’s justice system. The authorities are taking steps to strengthen procedural safeguards and improve detention conditions. Nevertheless, the UN Office continues to document cases of torture and ill-treatment of detainees, and accountability for these violations remains limited.
Türk reiterated that civilians must always be treated humanely and can only be detained on grounds provided for under international law. They should be released as soon as such grounds no longer exist.