In late September and early October, the human rights organization spoke to over 100 people who were in Izium when the city was occupied from March to September. Almost all of the people HRW spoke to said they had a family member or friend who was tortured, while 15 people said they were tortured. All but one were civilians.
Survivors say they were subjected to electric shocks, water torture, violence, threats with weapons and forced to stand in uncomfortable positions for long periods. They identified at least seven locations in the city, including two schools, where Russian forces would be captured and tortured.
– The cruel violence and assaults in Izium were not isolated cases. Several victims credibly recount similar experiences of torture during interrogation under the control of Russian forces and their subordinates, indicating that this treatment was a deliberate policy, says HRW researcher Belkis Wille.
