Comment of DPR Ombudsman Daria Morozova following results of videoconference

Comments and statements of the Ombudsman News

Today, a meeting of the humanitarian subgroup took place via videoconference. We discussed the visit of the OSCE representatives to penitentiary institutions, where persons detained by the Ukrainian side are kept. I asked the Coordinator of the humanitarian subgroup to visit the women, who are daily tortured in Ukrainian prisons. Mr. Frisch confirmed his readiness to come and inspect the conditions of detention in remand prisons of Mariupol and Artemivsk.

Much of the discussion focused on details of the exchange list of persons, confirmed by both sides. I reminded the Ukrainian representatives that they did not provide any official response for 61 requests to confirm the presence of persons in the territory of Ukraine. At the same time, the Ukrainian side continues to openly manipulate the lists of detainees, combining the names of supporters of both Republics, thereby reducing the total number of persons. Kiev representatives deliberately sidetrack the preliminary agreement to make an exchange of “all established for established persons”.

Despite our constructive position, the Ukrainian side did not confirm its readiness to perform the exchange and once again demonstrated the lack of political will.

A list of persons requested by our side was submitted to the coordinator of the humanitarian subgroup. At the moment we are awaiting the decision of the Contact Group representatives.