We facilitate the release of civilian hostages from illegal detention, make inquiries about their whereabouts and procedural status, and maintain contact with their relatives.

In dealing with such cases, we encounter a legal paradox. The exchange of prisoners during the war is carried out according to the principle of parity: for instance, a private can be exchanged for a private, an officer for an officer. Therefore, a civilian can only be exchanged for a civilian, and in order to do so, both parties need to break the law. Including such individuals on the exchange lists means a confession to a war crime, so information about their condition and location is often hidden.

Despite this, we have managed to set free more than 200 people from captivity, and every day our lawyers continue to successfully fight for the rights of people during the war.

After a “partial” mobilization in Russia was declared, Ukrainians living in the occupied territories were forcibly issued Russian passports and sent to the frontline or burdened with obligations, for failure to fulfill which provided for up to 10 years in prison.

According to Article 17 of the Law on Citizenship of the Russian Federation, the forced issuance of a Russian passport in the event of a change in borders is prohibited. In addition, the lack of clear criteria for selecting people to send to war is a gross violation of the process of mobilization. Under Article 51 of the Geneva Convention (IV) for the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, 1949, service of summonses on citizens of another country is illegal.

We help to challenge cases of forced passportization, illegal mobilization of the civilian population from the occupied territories, and also contribute to the release of persons from the occupied territories of Ukraine from compulsory military service.