Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, videos shared on social networks and in local media outlets have shown disturbing scenes: people tied to poles in the street, sometimes stripped of their clothing and beaten. These incidents have occurred all around the country, often as punishment for people accused of theft. While a part of the population accepts this practice – and some authorities even encourage it – local human rights associations condemn it as “illegal and unacceptable”.
Warning: The images in this article may be disturbing for some readers
The videos show people tied, with cling film or tape, to poles and trees in the streets. They are often alone, but sometimes two or three people are tied up together. Some have messages written on pieces of paper attached to them. Some have their trousers removed. Some are beaten.
The FRANCE 24 Observers team was able to pinpoint 17 videos showing scenes like these. They took place in medium and large-sized cities throughout Ukraine: Kyiv, Irpin (Kyiv oblast), Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Kamianske (Dnipropetrovsk oblast), Poltava, Melitopol (Zaporijia oblast), Kharkiv, Kherson, Kakhovka (Kherson oblast), and Dubno (Rivne oblast).
Each of these videos was published in March. While we were unable to confirm the exact dates that these incidents took place, they appear to be recent, as there is no trace of them prior to the Russian invasion which began on February 24.
Why were these people humiliated in the middle of the street?
Many of these people were put in this situation after they were accused of looting homes or abandoned stores. Often, they are identified with a paper taped to them which reads “мародер”, or “marauder”.
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Source : france24
