The situation of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has worsened significantly by now. The death toll from pneumonia has already exceeded 10 thousand people worldwide. Incidents of the disease are increasingly reported throughout the European continent. The most critical situation remains in Italy, where more than 32 thousand people have already been infected. For this reason, the Head of the DPR Denis Pushilin issued a Decree on the introduction of a high alert regime in connection with the threat of spread of coronavirus, which, in particular, provides for the following measures:
– round-the-clock presence of health workers at checkpoints of the DPR border;
– the obligation of citizens to request for a house visit by a doctor at the first sign of illness;
– restrictions on holding mass events of more than a thousand people.
In addition, the DPR Ministry of State Security issued a statement detailing the new border crossing regime with Ukraine in connection with the epidemiological crisis. Thus, since March 17 people who have no permanent registration in the territory of the Republic are forbidden from entering the DPR from Ukraine until further orders. In addition, transit through the territory of the DPR to Ukraine from the Russian Federation is prohibited for Ukrainian citizens. Entry to the territory of the Republic is permitted to persons who have permanent registration in the territory of the Republic. In addition, foreign citizens and stateless persons are allowed to enter the territory of the DPR in the event of a humanitarian need. Such preventive steps are extremely important for preserving the lives and health of DPR citizens.
Also, along with the coronavirus pandemic, regular shelling by the Armed Forces of Ukraine continues to threaten the lives of citizens. Thus, on March 18, Ukrainian servicemen fired mortar weapons at the village of Komarovo in the Nikitovsky district of Gorlovka. As a result, fifteen civilian objects were damaged, and only by good fortune no one was injured. Such actions on the part of the Armed Forces pose an increased danger in connection with the introduction of a shelter-in-place regime when most of the civilian population is staying at home.
The Human Rights Ombudsman continues to follow closely the situation in the Republic.
Since the beginning of 2020, the Ombudsman received 1,139 complaints.
All complaints received can be divided into nine categories: personal rights – 225 complaints, economic rights – 48 complaints, social rights – 157 complaints; guarantees of human rights in civil, administrative and criminal proceedings – 152 complaints; enforcement of human rights in penitentiary institutions – 37 complaints; enforcement of rights in the field of education – 0 complaints; enforcement of rights in the field of healthcare – 16 complaints; enforcement of rights of mothers, children and families – 15 complaints, issues connected with the political and military situation in DPR – 489 complaints (diagram).
The number of appeals (complaints, applications) from citizens, submitted to the Office of DPR Ombudsman as of 19.03.2020
Personal rights
Human rights guarantees in civil, administrative and criminal proceedings
Enforcement of rights in the field of healthcare
Economic rights
Enforcement of human rights in penitentiary institutions
Enforcement of rights of mothers, children and families
Social rights
Enforcement of rights in the field of education
Issues connected with the political and military situation in DPR
- Death toll, injuries to civilians and soldiers as a result of hostilities in the territory of the Donetsk People`s Republic.
The DPR Ombudsman’s Office documents cases of violations of Donbass citizens’ rights by the Ukrainian side, including the right to life, personal integrity and freedom of movement.
On 13th March, three civilians (including a child) were injured in Gorlovka as a result of overnight shelling by AFU.
On 14th March, in Signalnoe village, a civilian, born in 1935, died of severe injuries as a result of shelling by AFU; a DPR serviceman, born in 1997, sustained shrapnel wounds as a result of shelling in Staromikhailovka.
Between 15 and 16 March, 5 DPR servicemen sustained shrapnel wounds as a result of shelling in Donetsk People’s Republic.
On 17th March, at the Stratonavtov Str., there was a vegetation fire caused by shelling. As it was being extinguished, ordnance exploded injuring a man, born in 1964.
On 19th March, as a result of shelling in Leninskoe village, a DPR serviceman, born in 1987, sustained shrapnel wounds.
On 20th March, a woman, born in 1949 and residing in a village of Trudovskaia mine, Petrovsky district of Donetsk, sustained injuries to her legs and a contusion as a result of shelling.
Within the period between 14 and 20 March 2020, 12 people, including 7 DPR servicemen and 5 civilians (including a child), sustained injuries of varying severities in the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of armed aggression by Ukraine.
Within the period between 1 January and 20 March 2020, 32 people, including 20 DPR servicemen and 10 civilians (including 1 child and 2 women) sustained injuries and traumas of varying severities as a result of armed aggression by Ukraine.
Within the period between 14 and 20 March 2020, one man died in the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of armed aggression by Ukraine.
Within the period between 1 January and 20 March 2020, 10 DPR servicemen and 1 civilian died as a result of armed aggression by Ukraine.
To be specific, since the beginning of the armed conflict 4,904 people died, including 81 children.
Officially confirmed information on individuals who have been wounded since the beginning of the conflict continues to be reported to the Ombudsman’s Office in DPR.
- Register of the prisoners of war, missing soldiers
and civilians
In the reporting period, the Ombudsman’s Office in the Donetsk People’s Republic didn’t receive any appeals on arrest.
Based on the updated figures as of 20th March 2020, there are 131 people detained by the Ukrainian side:
15 people whose presence in the territory of Ukraine has been confirmed.
116 people whose whereabouts are unknown or are pending clarification by the Ukrainian side.
This week the Ombudsman’s Office in the Donetsk People’s Republic received one appeal on a missing person. A man, born in 1978, went missing in August 2014 in Snezhnoe.
As of 20th March 2020, 466 people are considered missing. They could have been taken prisoner in Ukraine.
- Register of displaced persons and affected citizens.
At the time of armed conflict, the civilian population living in the zone of fighting and near the contact line is often affected. With the view to protect the human right to life and security of the person, and to provide assistance to victims as a result of armed aggression by Ukraine, social housing objects (dormitories, preventative clinics, health care centres).
With the coming into force of the Order of the Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic No. 137 of 24.04.2018, Territorial commissions in cities and districts are now responsible for accommodating affected civilians. They work under supervision of the Republican Commission on Resettlement of Affected Persons chaired by the DPR Human Rights Ombudsman.
There are currently 958 accommodation places in the Donetsk People’s Republic available for citizens of this category. Since the beginning of the conflict, 7,071 people, including 1,617 children have been registered as persons affected as a result of the conflict. 65 social housing objects have been opened in the territory of DPR. 55 of them operate, 10 of them are held in reserve. Currently, 2,169 people live in social housing objects of the Donetsk People’s Republic, including 393 underage children, 4,902 people live in the housing fund, including 1,224 children.
