The Yale School of Public Health's Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) has documented evidence of detention and disappearance in Kherson oblast consistent with an intentional and targeted campaign. This report documents the disappearances and detentions of 226 individuals in Kherson oblast between March and October 2022.
Approximately a quarter of individuals were allegedly tortured and five are known to have died while in custody or shortly thereafter, all allegedly because of torture they experienced in detention. More than half of individuals are either still detained or disappeared, or their status is not publicly known; less than half are known to have been released. Most individuals were detained by Russia's military or Federal Security Service (FSB) rather than local Russia-aligned forces, and over half of abductions and apprehensions occurred at individuals' homes. The demographic and professional profiles of these individuals demonstrate a pattern that reflects the pre-meditated campaign alleged before the invasion, including by the United States government.
These findings demonstrate a range of alarming allegations about treatment of detainees, including allegations of death in custody; the widespread use of torture and cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment (CIDT); pillage from detainees; sexual and gender based violence (SGBV); forced participation in propaganda videos; enforced disappearances; potential reprisal detentions; threats to relatives; and monitoring, tampering with, or seizure of electronic devices.
There is substantial evidence that the overwhelming majority of those subjected to these abuses are civilians. Only nine of 226 individuals were accused of joining or claimed to have joined the armed resistance to Russia's forces at the beginning of the war. While the process of apprehension and arrest is, by itself, not necessarily illegal, the allegations described in the report demonstrate an extrajudicial system of detention that is a grave breach of minimum standards required by the Geneva Conventions, the ICCPR, and other instruments. If confirmed by a qualified investigative body, the allegations in this report could represent violations of multiple instruments of international and regional human rights and humanitarian law.
Beyond accountability, a humanitarian response is also needed to identify missing persons, notify families about the status of loved ones, identify any human remains, and provide psychosocial support to the individuals and families impacted by torture, detention, and enforced disappearance in Kherson oblast.