'Our guards were cruel sadists': activist Maksym Butkevych on Russian captivity

He told this to Espreso correspondent Tetiana Golunova.

‘Absolutely everyone who guarded us and kept us in captivity are such beasts, cruel sadists. There are sadists there, there are normal people, there are those who perceive it as part of their work,’ Butkevych said.

He stressed that the conditions of detention of prisoners in Russia violate international law. The Russians use physical violence, do not provide access to daylight and walks. The human rights activist also mentioned the lack of food and basic hygiene.

‘Then the conditions changed somewhat - they are different in different locations, but there is no location, as far as I know where prisoners were held, where all the requirements of the Geneva Convention were met. It doesn't exist: it's just a question of the degree of violation of rights and freedoms,’ he explained.

At the same time, Butkevych stressed that prisoners of war are the least protected category of the population when it comes to their rights.

‘Captivity is a continuous violation of rights and freedoms. Today's captivity has nothing to do with International humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions, which the aggressor state constantly violates. That is why today, on Human Rights Day, it is very important to remember that those in captivity have their rights violated on a regular basis. The fight for them is a fight for their rights,’ Butkevych said.

He also emphasized the need to respect the rights of Ukrainian defenders fighting at the frontline.

‘I see that there is a great demand for legal assistance and support for many servicemen. Unfortunately, there are not enough resources to provide this,’ added the co-founder of ZMINA  Human Rights Centre.

• Maksym Butkevych joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine in March 2022 and was taken prisoner in the summer of the same year.
• In March 2023, the Russian authorities handed down ‘sentences’ to three Ukrainian prisoners of war, including human rights activist Maksym Butkevych. He was found guilty of ‘cruel treatment of civilians and the use of prohibited methods in armed conflict’ and ‘attempted murder of two persons in a generally dangerous manner and intentional damage to another's property in a generally dangerous manner’. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry then called the verdicts illegal and null and void. Subsequently, the Russian Supreme Court upheld the verdict against the Ukrainian human rights activist and sentenced him to 13 years in prison.
• On the 18th of October, Maksym Butkevych returned home from Russian captivity.