Rampant Torture and Abuse in Ukraine

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Ukraine is a fascist police state - run by US-installed, Nazi-infested putschists, a cancer in Europe's heartland.

Washington and EU nations support its naked aggression on Donbass, ignoring cold-blooded murder, rampant torture and other abuses by illegitimate junta officials running things - according to the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).

According to its report, "a considerable number of credible allegations from detained persons (including juveniles, revealed severe) physical ill- treatment by police officers, consisting mainly of slaps, punches, kicks or blows with a truncheon or a plastic bottle filled with water." 

"In (some) cases, ill-treatment was of such severity that it could be considered as amounting to torture. Most of the allegations concerned ill-treatment during initial questioning by operational police officers in an attempt to obtain confessions or other information." 

"In a number of cases, the (CPT) delegation gathered medical evidence (including injuries directly observed by the delegation's doctors) consistent with the allegations made."

The frequency of torture and ill-treatment "remains at a worrying level." Unrecorded detentions continue, including individuals held without charge handcuffed to fixed objects without food or water at times for days.

Treatment ignores rule of law safeguards, prohibiting brutal treatment for any reason at all times, with no allowed exceptions.

Prolonged detention on law enforcement agency premises "increases the risk of intimidation and ill-treatment," the CPT said. Prison conditions are deplorable.

Prison staff is "problematic," badly needed reforms not forthcoming, overcrowding, rampant mistreatment, and corruption three of many disturbing issues.

Iron discipline enforced is "grossly excessive," punishment meted out for minor rules violations or indiscriminately. Conditions in many prisons are "appalling…inhuman and degrading," in some cases with little or no heat in winter.

Police states aren't known for kind and gentle treatment within or free from confinement.

Ukraine is Europe's worst. Its Kiev Obolonsky district kangaroo court intends trying coup d'etat toppled former President Viktor Yanukovich in absentia - on fabricated treason charges.

In Russia for his safety, his request to take part in the automatic guilt by accusation trial by video link-up was denied.

Kiev putschists fear damning evidence of their February 2014 coup might come out in trial proceedings - including neocon assistant State Department secretary Victoria Nuland's involvement in orchestrating what happened.

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My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

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