Ombudsperson's rep persecuted after exposing mobilization abuses
Dmytro Lubinets / Facebook
Ukraine’s commissioner for human rights, Dmytro
Lubinets, said that his representative in Zakarpattia Oblast, Andrii
Kriuchkov, is being persecuted after investigating abuses at the local military
recruitment center.
Lubinets wrote on Facebook Aug. 10 that Kriuchkov documented numerous possible violations by employees of the center, but instead of responding to the findings, pressure was put on Kruchkov.
“Instead of a proper reaction to the detected violations, the one who spoke up came under pressure,” Lubinets said.
He said he received information that the head of the regional recruitment center had tried to initiate a criminal case against Kriuchkov for allegedly obstructing the lawful conduct of the military. Lubinets called the action an attempt to impede the ombudsman’s work and said it showed signs of interference with the commissioner's duties.
Lubinets said he supports the need for mobilization but that does not justify breaking the law or ignoring human dignity. He said he received multiple complaints in the past week alleging the mobilization of people with serious illnesses and disabilities, and information about the death of a mobilized person at the center.
“Mobilizing the seriously ill does not strengthen the army,” Lubinets said.
“Declaring fit a person whom military doctors later refuse to accept does not strengthen the army. Leaving someone after mobilization with broken ribs does not strengthen the army. And persecuting those who report this is completely unacceptable.”
“A strong military is not built on morally broken people,
fear, and silence. It is built on trust, law and responsibility. Every
violation must receive a legal assessment, and everyone who broke the law must
be held accountable.”
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