Invitation to the press conference:

Commitment to Ukrainian civilian prisoners

Since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, there have been blatant human rights violations, including the abduction of numerous civilians. The IGFM presents the situation of Ukrainian civilian prisoners in a press conference with activists, politicians, survivors and relatives.

Date: 30 September 2024, 11:00 am
Location: Massif Central, Bethmannstraße 7-9, 60311 Frankfurt am Main

At a press conference on 30 September, the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) will speak together with relatives who have travelled from Ukraine about the difficult situation of Ukrainian civilian prisoners in Russian custody. The ISHR has been in dialogue with the families of civilian prisoners for some time and is currently campaigning for the release of over 60 people.

Together with Olena Tsyhipa, board member of the non-governmental organisation ‘Civilians in captivity’ (ГО ‘Цивільні в полоні’) and wife of Ukrainian civilian prisoner Sergiy Tsyhipa, Liusiena Zinovkina, wife of Ukrainian civilian prisoner Kostiantyn Zinovkin, Oleksandr Tarasov, a former civilian prisoner, Olena Yahupova, a torture survivor and Martina Feldmayer (MdL), political godmother of the Ukrainian civilian prisoner Vasiliy Dmytryk, we will present the fates of abducted civilians at the press conference.

Olena Tsyhipa

Liusiena Zinovkina

Oleksandr Tarasov

Olena Yahupova

Martina Feldmayer, MdL

In addition to witness statements and information on the situation of Ukrainian civilian prisoners, an art installation will also be on display. The art project ‘Please free the birds’ shows the fates of six Kremlin hostages and supports civilians who are unlawfully detained in prisons by Russia. The project was initiated by the Centre for Civil Liberties and curated by Ukrainian artist Katya Syta.

On 24 February 2022, Russian troops launched a large-scale attack from several directions with the aim of overthrowing the Ukrainian government and replacing it with a pro-Russian regime. Since then, blatant human rights violations by the aggressor Russia have been deplored, including the war of aggression itself, which violated international law, the targeted shelling of civilian targets, various war crimes, arbitrary arrests, torture, rape, abductions and shootings of civilians. Millions of people have fled Ukraine since 24 February 2022, where the IGFM is in regular contact with staff and members and provides humanitarian aid to those in need and refugees throughout the country.

Please register at presse[@]igfm.de .