They are letting dogs in: it became known about the torture of UNIAN journalist Khiluk in captivity of the Russian Federation

In Russian captivity, Khiluk’s ribs are broken and he is refused medical care.

Natalya Boguta , a journalist and friend of UNIAN correspondent Dmitry Khilyuk, during an event at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, spoke about the torture he is subjected to in captivity in the Russian Federation, where, in particular, dogs are set on him.

According to an UNIAN correspondent, she said this during the conference-debate “Journalists Matter: A Call for the Release of Ukrainian Journalists Detained by the Russian Federation,” which took place as part of the PACE summer session in Strasbourg.

“According to our data, Dmitry was first held on the territory of the Bryansk region in pre-trial detention center No. 2, after which somewhere in May, at the beginning of May 2023, Dmitry was transported to Vladimir colony No. 7, where he is still being held, according to witnesses “, Boguta noted.

According to her, no charges were brought against Khilyuk, but a letter from the Russian Ministry of Defense, which was received in early January 2024, indicates that Russia considers the journalist a prisoner of war, and in this letter she refers to the implementation of the supposed Geneva Conventions.

“As for the International Red Cross, there was only one contact between representatives of the International Red Cross and Dmitry Khilyuk. This was also in May 2023. After which there were no more contacts,” the journalist said.

She also noted that meetings with representatives of the Red Cross take place in Russian prisons in the presence of prison representatives, Russian guards with chest cameras, which makes real communication impossible, because prisoners cannot say anything about the inhumane conditions of detention in a Russian prison.

“They cannot tell representatives of international organizations, in particular the Red Cross, how prison staff regularly beat prisoners, how they force them to walk around the cell all day without the opportunity to sit on the edge of the bed, how they humiliate, intimidate, and leave prisoners without lunch and dinner. prisoners without lunch. and dinner at their own whim, they force them to crawl on the floor for hours, beat them on the ears and press their fingers into the eyes of the prisoners,” Boguta noted.

In addition, she emphasized, prisoners in Russian prisons are not provided with any medical care.

“Human rights activists are aware of cases of serious illness of prisoners as a result of hunger and injuries received at the hands of guards, and cases of death of Ukrainian prisoners: both military and civilian,” the journalist said.

Boguta noted that Khiluk, a citizen journalist, has been in a Russian prison for more than two years.

“We know that he is experiencing torture, beatings, and humiliation. They are attacking him with sniffer dogs, breaking his ribs and refusing to provide medical assistance,” she emphasized.

According to her, journalists, human rights activists and the entire democratic community must admit that “not enough has been done for people like Dmitry, that international conventions, documents, resolutions have no influence on the aggressor country.”

“And, in fact, this is precisely why the time has come to reconsider everything that has been done for Ukrainian civilians in captivity, as well as for journalists in particular. It is necessary to initiate a mechanism, perhaps in parallel with the introduction of additional sanctions. Actions are needed aimed at releasing journalists from Russian captivity. Journalist Dmitry Khilyuk, illegally imprisoned in Russia, must be released and returned to Ukraine,” Boguta emphasized.

Russia detains UNIAN journalist

As UNIAN reported, among the Ukrainian civilians who are being held captive by Russia is UNIAN correspondent Dmitry Khilyuk. He and his father were kidnapped by Russian occupiers in the first days of March 2022 during the occupation of the Kyiv region. Subsequently, the father was released, and Dmitry was illegally taken to Russia.

At the end of May 2024, one of those released from captivity reported that Khilyuk sends greetings to his parents and hopes for release.

(C)UNIAN 2024