UN sees no progress in release of hostages in eastern Ukraine

UN notes no progress in the release of “hostages and illegally detained persons” according to “all for all” principle, as provided by the Minsk agreements.

This is stated in the report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation in Ukraine covering the period of February 16 – May 15, 2016.

“However, a number of simultaneous releases still occurred, such as the swap of three for six people on February 20, 2016, the OHCHR continues to call for ‘all for all’ release of detainees at the highest level, or with representatives of the armed groups, the government or intermediaries,” the document reads.

“The government interlocutors informed the OHCHR that the situation with human rights violations is worsened with the lack of legal framework for simultaneous release of detainees. The process of release occurs without complying with the relevant legislation and is directly linked to the detention with no contact with the outside world and forced disappearance that only promotes behavior that is tantamount to hostage capturing,” the UN added.

The report also said that the role of the Security Service of Ukraine in coordinating simultaneous releases further undermined the independence of the judiciary.