Rebel forces in east Ukraine have committed "serious violations of the laws of war" by seizing civilians and forcing them to work in "punishment brigades" on pain of death, Human Rights Watch said. Witnesses in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk told HRW people were often held for minor infractions such as drinking beer in public and put to work for up to a month, sometimes on checkpoints near the front lines.
Several former captives said the use of "punishment brigades" was widespread and the insurgents had threatened to kill those who did not cooperate. "Rebels in eastern Ukraine to stop forcing people into labour brigades and stop exposing them to dangers of the front lines," said Hugh Williamson, the human rights group's Europe and Central Asia director.
"Both are serious violations of the laws of war," he said in a statement seen by AFP on Saturday. One man interviewed by the group said his 25-year-old nephew was picked up at a bus stop for holding an open beer bottle, while another said his son was sentenced to forced labour for "breaking curfew" on the way back from a date.
"They picked me up drunk, late at night. They beat me up, took me to the [Donetsk region] administration building, beat me up some more," said one 20-year-old who was detained in August. "Helping at checkpoints was real scary because of the shelling nearby."
One insurgent, who asked to remain anonymous, told the group authorities in the Donetsk People's Republic typically hands out "corrective labour" as punishment for minor infractions that require no military court review. Those suspected of serious crimes were sometimes forced to dig trenches, clean military bases and work at checkpoints as a "way for them to expiate their guilt". "Forced labour is just one of many serious abuses that rebels in eastern Ukraine impose on their captives," Williamson said.
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