Donbas residents complain most about actions of police, less about Russia-led occupation forces – human rights activists

KYIV. Feb 28 (Interfax-Ukraine) –Ukrainians complained most of all about the police on the "hot line" about illegal actions by Ukrainian security forces in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, according to an analytical survey conducted by human rights activists.

Yevhen Vasylyev, acting chairman of the board of the Human Rights Center Postup, told Interfax-Ukraine at a press conference on Wednesday that 449 telephone calls and text messages were received at the hotline.

"The calls were of a different nature with information about the violation of human rights by law enforcement agencies, such as beating, extortion ... Most complaints were from Donetsk region ... Most complained about inaction or illegal police actions in Luhansk and Donetsk regions - these are 67% appeals," he said.

Some 11% of complaints were about illegal actions from "people in uniform, against the military – 11%, border guards and Ukraine's SBU State Security Service – 5%. Only 1% of those called the "hot line" complained about the National Guard.

Vostok-SOS Executive Director Oleksandra Dvoretska said the information is not sociology, just a breakdown of the calls. She added the purpose of the "hot line" is primarily prevention.

"We want to reduce tension in Donetsk and Luhansk regions so that people understand that they have someplace to turn," she said.

Among the recommendations to law enforcement agencies, human rights activists point out the need to open criminal proceedings in connection with information on offenses, to give a proper assessment of the actions of police officers.

Human Rights Center Postup and the Association of Ukrainian Human Rights Monitors on Law Enforcement with the support of the U.S. embassy in Ukaine's fund for supporting democracy in in April 2018 launched a project on identifying human rights violations by security forces in Ukraine-controlled parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. "Hotline" complaints were received from April 28 to December 28, 2018.