“Egregious violations”: the ombudsman showed the conditions in which mobilized men are being held at the Uzhhorod draft office

Ukraine’s Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, has shown the detention conditions inside the Uzhhorod Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support.

The corresponding post appeared on the ombudsman’s Telegram channel.

“Despite obstruction by officials, it was possible to document shocking violations. People were being held here for weeks — we recorded detentions lasting 21, 24, 30, and even 50 days!” Lubinets wrote.

Inside the building, the ombudsman’s representative found, among others, a war veteran who had taken part in the fighting for Bakhmut and held a combat veteran certificate, yet was still being detained by TCRSC staff.

Another detainee was a man with a disability whose fingers on both hands had fused together.

People inside the center had their phones confiscated, and for 40 to 60 men being held there, only three mugs and eight metal plates were available for meals. People were forced to eat in turns, without any dish sanitation.

At the same time, for that number of detainees there was only one shower and one toilet, and there was no bedding.

Those with health problems were not provided with an ambulance.

“Only after my representative intervened was an ambulance called for a man whose blood pressure was 190 over 100 and who had been asking for help for several days. He was hospitalized in a life-threatening condition. After that, it is hardly surprising that we receive reports of sudden deaths inside TCRSC facilities,” the ombudsman said.

He added that, following the visit, a statement alleging criminal offenses had been submitted.

Judging by the published photographs, an old gym was being used as a sleeping area.

Later, the Ukrainian command announced an inspection of the Uzhhorod TCRSC following the scandal over the detention conditions of mobilized men.

This was stated in a message from the West Operational Command.

It said that the findings of the internal investigation would be passed on to law enforcement agencies.

Lubinets has repeatedly reported systemic violations in the work of territorial recruitment centers before.