A/HRC/43/CRP.7 C. Situation in Oleksiivska penal colony No. 25 54. OHCHR monitored the situation at Oleksiivska penal colony No. 25 in Kharkiv and visited the colony on 10 January 2020 after concerns about torture and ill-treatment were raised. OHCHR received allegations that prisoners were subjected to extensive beatings, including with objects, suffocation, rape and threats of rape, and other forms of sexual violence, including forced nudity. Prison staff who allegedly participated in the torture and ill-treatment still work in the penal colony. The Kharkiv regional prosecutor’s office launched a number of investigations into allegations of torture and ill-treatment and of abuse of authority at the penal colony. International observers had already signalled issues at this penal colony in 2012.39 V. Simultaneous release of detainees under the Minsk agreements “You tell us more about human rights – and we will point lower next time!” – A member of armed groups after a mock execution of a detainee (shooting above his head). . 55. On 29 December 2019, under the framework of the Minsk agreements and following the Normandy Four summit of 9 December 2019, a simultaneous release of detainees took place at EECP Mayorske (Donetsk region). This was the first major simultaneous release since 27 December 2017.40 56. The Government of Ukraine released 141 detainees, 124 of whom (117 men and seven women), including 19 foreign citizens (18 men and one woman),41 were handed them over to representatives of the self-proclaimed ‘republics’ (during the handover of foreign citizens, diplomatic representatives of their home countries were present): 59 detainees (54 men and five women) to ‘Donetsk people’s republic’, and 65 detainees (63 men and two women) to ‘Luhansk people’s republic’. Seventeen released detainees decided to stay in Governmentcontrolled territory. 57. The self-proclaimed ‘republics’ released 81 detainees (64 men and 17 women): 55 detainees (42 men, including eight military42 and 13 women) were released by the ‘Donetsk people’s republic’, and 26 detainees (22 men, including four military, and four women) by the ‘Luhansk people’s republic’. Seventy-six detainees (61 men, including 12 military, and 15 women) were handed over to the Government, while five decided to stay in territory controlled by the self-proclaimed ‘republics’: two men and two women in territory controlled by the ‘Donetsk people’s republic’ and one man in territory controlled by the ‘Luhansk people’s republic’. 58. In addition to the discussion in this section, a more detailed description of related human rights concerns can be found in Annex I to this report. 39 40 41 42 Council of Europe, Report to the Ukrainian Government on the visit to Ukraine carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 1 to 10 December 2012, 5 September 2013, para. 16, available at https://rm.coe.int/168069844d. See OHCHR, Report on the human rights situation in Ukraine, 16 November 2017 to 15 February 2018, paras. 56-82. Sixteen nationals of the Russian Federation, two nationals of Belarus, and a national of Brazil. Those officially serving in the Ukrainian armed forces. 15