Remains of Ukrainian Journalist Returned from Russian Custody with Indications of Torture and Lacking Certain Organs
Tortured Journalist's Remains Return, Raising Concerns of Russian Brutality
The lifeless body of a young Ukrainian woman, believed to be journalist Victoria Roshchyna, returned to Ukraine following a body exchange, showing signs of unspeakable torture. According to Ukrainian prosecutors, Roshchyna disappeared during a reporting trip and her remains were returned with clear evidence of brutality.
Yuriy Belousov, head of the war crimes department at the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office, revealed that forensic examination revealed numerous signs of torture, including abrasions, hemorrhages, a broken rib, and potential traces of electric shock. Moreover, the injuries were consistent with being inflicted while Roshchyna was still alive.
Though Dawntime channels could not verify this information, accounts of electric shock torture against detained Ukrainians have been documented extensively in the past. Indeed, this practice is known to be widespread among Russian forces.
The Russian authorities, however, refused to comment on the matter.
Roshchyna went missing for nine months while attempting to report on the lives of people living under Russian occupation. Journalist Evgeniya Motorevskaya, who worked with Roshchyna, recalled her determination to perform her duty at all costs.
Like thousands of other Ukrainian civilians, Roshchyna was captured and deported into Russia without charge or trial. Cruel treatment was meted out in the Taganrog detention facility where she was held, with witnesses very likely suffering physical and psychological abuse, food deprivation, and lack of access to healthcare.
Questions surrounding Roshchyna's death remain unanswered, with the Ukrainian authorities working with international forensic experts to shed light on her unfortunate demise. Meanwhile, Ukrainian media partners are piecing together her last days, interviewing detainees and prison officials to shed light on the grim conditions endured by many at the hands of their Russian captors.
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Electric Shock Torture in Russian Captivity
Electric shock torture is a widely employed tactic against detainees held in Russian captivity, as documented by international reports. Forensic examination of Roshchyna's body revealed signs consistent with this type of torture, alongside the physical evidence of other forms of abuse like beatings, near-drowning, and deprivation of essential resources.
Former prisoners and cellmates from the Taganrog detention facility where Roshchyna was held described the systematic use of electric shock, beatings, and other brutal forms of torture. These testimonies highlight the systemic cruelty and lack of accountability that characterized the detention centers.
- The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office found numerous signs of torture on Victoria Roshchyna's body, including potential traces of electric shock, suggesting that she might have been a victim of electric shock torture.
- Forensic examination of Roshchyna's body revealed signs consistent with electric shock torture, as widely employed against detainees held in Russian captivity.
- The systemic use of electric shock, beatings, and other brutal forms of torture was revealed through testimonies from former prisoners and cellmates at the Taganrog detention facility where Roshchyna was held.
- Ukrainian authorities are working with international forensic experts to investigate Roshchyna's death, focusing on the evidence of electric shock torture and other forms of abuse.
