information of any investigation undertaken into the circumstances of his detention. On 7 August, the head of the Luhansk city council was detained at a check-point in the town of Shchastya by the Aydar battalion. On 12 August, the head of the Luhansk regional department of Internal Affairs described this action as illegal. According to him, the detainee, whose whereabouts had been unknown since the day of detention, was now in “a safe place”, protected by the police, and considered a “crime victim”.125 All such cases, as well as others alleging human rights violations, require prompt verification and investigation with perpetrators held accountable and justice provided to victims. The HRMMU continues to receive reports of cases of enforced disappearances by Ukrainian forces in the areas restored to the control of the Government. In one particular case, the HRMMU was informed on 15 August that a video-blogger was released as part of an exchange of over 26 detainees between Ukrainian armed forces and armed groups. He was apprehended by Ukrainian servicemen on 10 May near Slovyansk and was a case of enforced disappearance until early August when he was found in a detention facility. In June, following an intervention on the case by the HRMMU the Authorities took action by opening an investigation for murder. Some people who had previously been detained by armed groups were later detained by the Ukrainian law enforcement agencies as they took control of areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions formerly under the control of the armed groups. For example, the HRMMU interviewed the father of an adult man from the Slovyansk district who said that around 30 June, his son was detained by the armed groups for being drunk, and was then sent to dig trenches near a checkpoint about 2.5 km from the his house. He dug trenches for four days, after which he was allowed to return home. On 24 July, he was detained by the Ukrainian armed forces and accused of separatism and collaboration with the armed groups, despite the fact that he was detained and subjected to forced labour. His arrest and detention was later authorized by the court. Some people were kept in detention by the Ukrainian armed forces for up to 14 days, subjected to ill-treatment and released after signing a paper that they do not have any claims against those who detained them.126 According to a Ukrainian human rights organization, many such cases have been associated with the Aydar battalion. The organization informed the HRMMU about the detention by the battalion of an armed group commander nicknamed Batko who reportedly died as a result of torture. The HRMMU was also informed about the arrest and torture of a member of the Aydar battalion who allegedly tried to protect Batko from torture, and who had to leave the unit in order to save his own life. Some of those armed groups members who were exchanged for Ukrainian servicemen allege that while in detention, they were beaten, kept in dungeons, and deprived of food and medical aid. Mrs. Nelia Shtepa, the former mayor of Slovyansk, mentioned in the previous report,127 continued to remain in detention. She was arrested on 11 July, and is being detained in the Kharkiv pre-trial detention facility without bail for 60 days by order of the court, 128 despite alleged numerous violations of her rights invoked during the hearing.129 The HRMMU is 125 As he informed the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission. As reported by human rights organizations at a roundtable in mid-August. 127 See the 4th monthly report on the human rights situation in Ukraine paragraph 44. 128 Ms. Shtepa is being charged under part 3 of article 110 of the Criminal Code “encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine, if appropriate actions have led to death or other serious consequences”. If found guilty, she could be sentenced to between 10 to 15 years or life imprisonment. 129 Ms. Shtepa had previously been detained by the armed groups for almost 3 months, accused of collaboration with the Right Sector. She was only was able to leave captivity when the armed groups fled Slovyansk as the Ukraine forces regained control of the city on 5 July. She told HRMMU that during her captivity by the armed groups she was beaten and threatened with her husband’s murder unless she undertook to speak at a ceremony in 126 205 | P a g e