The story of Oleksiy Demko, an activist of VO Svoboda from Makiyivka, is truly extraordinary. In early May 2014, the ‘DPR’ representatives followed him to make an arrest. Then, one of pro-Russian militants shot Oleksiy with an automatic rifle, injuring the side of his torso. After that, seven armed separatists staged kicking him, then stopped the bleeding at took to the hospital, allegedly, for a surgery.

The promised surgery did not happen. Oleksiy was assured that he would be taken to a better hospital in the neighboring region a day later. Members of Oleksiy’s party tried to take him from the hospital with an ambulance vehicle to the territory controlled by Ukraine. However, the vehicle came under the militants’ fire, and he returned to the hospital. As a result, the ‘DPR’ people changed their mind and detained the man at the city MoI directorate in Horlivka. The detention was based on ‘organizing and participating in the protest in Odesa on 2 May 2014’.

Oleksiy spent another month in captivity, until 9 June. He got surgery in Kyiv following his release.

What is interesting that law enforcement officials launched a criminal investigation into Oleksiy Demko’s disappearance, and he was announced missing. The MoI was well aware that Oleksiy was released from captivity back in June 2014. He wrote pleas and complaints to be removed from the missing list. However, nothing changed during more than two years, and Oleksiy has been detained twice at the external checkpoints in Ukraine.

First time, he was detained at Nelipivtsi internal checkpoint (Donetsk region). Due to misunderstanding between different law enforcement bodies, the man who was taking humanitarian aid to Horlivka was handcuffed for half an hour. Militsiya officers then thought that Oleksiy was not a victim but the suspect under articles 15(2) and 115(1) (attempted murder). When they had learned about the case, they apologized but did not release him. They took him to Kostyantynivka city militsiya department for a video-interrogation.

The second arrest took place in November this year. At first sight, it was a minor issue, but several hours of ‘conversations’ with the law enforcement and waiting at the checkpoint, as well as money wasted on the ticket from Lysychansk to Artemivsk do not make for great memories.

Multiple requests and appeals to the law enforcement for over two years have not been successful. His case was registered by one body, which no longer exists, while the other unit, which has been dealing with the search, does not have the case itself. Even personal assurances of Vyacheslav Abroskin, head of the National Police in Donetsk regions, did not help.

This is when human rights defender of the Coalition ‘Justice for Peace in Donbas’ came to his aid after Oleksiy Demko had told them his story of captivity and challenges faced after his release.

In early November, Oleksiy Demko and Andriy Ostapenko, a lawyer of the Eastern-Ukrainian Center for Civil Initiatives NGO, personally contacted the head of Kostyantynivka police department of investigations. In less than a month after that, Oleksiy Demko was removed from the search list. Now, he can freely cross internal checkpoints without risking to be detained again.  

Coalition ‘Justice for Peace in Donbas’ is documenting cases of illegal arrest and detention. The more evidence is collected, the faster those responsible will be held liable.

Everyone can help preserve history and restore justice in Donbas. Therefore, if you know about cases of illegal arrest or detention, please, fill out a secure form on the Coalition’s website. The Coalition will not publish or transfer information to third parties without your written consent.