France Detains Donetsk People's Republic Member Accused of Torture in Izolyatsiya Prison

French authorities have detained a member of the Donetsk People's Republic, a pro-Russian organization operating in eastern Ukraine. The detention was facilitated by cooperation with Ukraine's Security Service and the Office of the Prosecutor General.

Investigators allege the individual is implicated in torture committed at the illicit Donetsk detention facility known as «Izolyatsiya.» Ukrainian law enforcement agencies reported these findings. «Izolyatsiya» is widely recognized as a notorious prison in Donetsk where individuals are subjected to torture, often simply for their Ukrainian identity. Journalist Stanislav Aseyev, a survivor of imprisonment there, famously described it as «a threshold beyond which a person feels like God while behaving like the devil.»

The investigation determined that between 2017 and 2019, the suspect voluntarily collaborated with representatives of the pro-Russian illegal entity, serving as an assistant to the leadership of the unlawful prison in occupied Donetsk. He is accused of participating in torture, cruel treatment of detainees, psychological pressure, and coercing «required» confessions. At least nine victims have been documented to date.

In 2021, after the Security Service concluded its investigation and referred the case to court, the accused departed Ukraine for France, where he sought refugee status. Following appeals from Ukrainian prosecutors and human rights organizations, including Truth Hounds, French law enforcement initiated its own criminal proceedings. As a result of a joint investigation by Ukrainian and French authorities, the man was arrested. The French National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office ordered his custody, and he has been charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. The investigation remains ongoing under the supervision of a specialized unit of the Paris court.