I bring to the public attention, that the Ombudsman`s Office is informed by the persons, who were illegally detained by the Ukrainian side, and their relatives, that the personnel of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) force the above-mentioned individuals to write statements of waiver of the exchange, as stipulated in paragraph 6 of the Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements.
It has been reported, that the persons in conditional discharge, who are currently in the territory, controlled by the Ukrainian side, and wish to return to the Donetsk People`s Republic, are also subject to intimidation and threatening by security agencies of Ukraine in order to induce them to refuse to be exchanged.
I addressed the Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Donetsk and the representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross with a request to take appropriate measures on acts of unlawful pressure by the representatives of the SSU against the Illegally detained persons. I hope, the representatives of international organizations shall respond promptly to my request.
