Russians have employed horrifying torture tactics on women during Kherson occupation – ZMINA Center for Human Rights
During the occupation of Kherson, representatives of the Russian Federation tortured women in isolation cells by beating, electrocution, water, threats, and humiliation.
This was discussed at the press conference of the "Women's Chambers" of the Kherson torture chamber: the presentation of the report on Ukrainian women held by Russia," writes Ukrinform.
The organizers of the event are Ukraine Media Center — Ukrinform and ZMINA Human Rights Center.
As ZMINA legal analyst Onysia Syniuk said, the Human Right Center's defenders collected testimonies of victims and witnesses.
In particular, about 30 women were found, who at various times were held in the premises of the temporary detention center No. 1 of the State Police Department of the National Police in the Kherson region.
"We managed to record cases of torture against five women. These are beatings, the application of electric current, and water use. Water was either poured into the mouth or a cotton cloth was pulled over the face; water was poured over it, and the cloth was dense, so it did not let air in. During the event, " electric shocks were applied to bare breasts, " Syniuk said.
As the analyst emphasized, women were constantly humiliated. They were forcibly undressed during detention, and moreover, they and their children were threatened with rape.
Detainees were subjected to psychological violence and intimidation. The torture in the temporary detention center was carried out day and night; screams were heard in all premises of the detention center, which was emphasized at the press conference.
One of the victims was forced to listen to her husband's screams, who was kept in the opposite cell.
According to human rights defenders, the women were detained in violation of all their rights. They were not told why they were being arrested or where they were being taken.
The number of people in the cells was twice or more than the norm for staying in the temporary detention center. Washing in the shower was allowed only for 5 minutes. Food was brought once a day in insufficient quantity; by the evening, it was sour.
In addition, there was no medical care, and when a doctor came very rarely, he said that the women were faking illnesses, they said at the press conference.
As a result of such torture and abuse, numerous diseases, weight loss, stress, etc., were recorded in the women after their release, the researchers stated.
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It should be noted that in Kherson, law enforcement officers established places of torture in four buildings. The Russian Federation financed the system of these prisons at the state level.
In addition, Bellingcat investigators reported that they found evidence that Russian special services control the "Isolation" torture facility in Donetsk.
