Over 16,000 civilians captured by Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 remain "deprived of their liberty," with many being held in violation of international law, an informal UN Security Council meeting has been told.
According to UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Claudia Fuentes Julio, Russia has persisted in widespread, systematic torture and ill-treatment of both Ukrainian civilian detainees and prisoners of war, including cases of sexual violence.
