Inmates were kept in cells without glass and heating
The Security Service of Ukraine reported suspicion of violating the laws and customs of war on November 3, 2026, against Ivan Honcharenko, head of the detention facility in Luhansk. The investigation covers the period from November 29, 2022, to April 2023 regarding the detention of civilians in inhuman conditions. This was reported by Book of Torturers citing Main Directorate of the Security Service of Ukraine in Donetsk and Luhansk Regio, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
The criminal proceedings concern the seized Luhansk Penal Institution No. 17 located at 23 Liniia Street, 4. Russian occupiers held civilian citizens of Ukraine en masse in these premises.
Overcrowded cells and poor sanitation
According to law enforcement officers, the detention facility cells were critically overcrowded. A room of about 120 square meters simultaneously held up to 32 people who had to share single beds in pairs. A smaller cell measuring approximately 14 square meters held up to six individuals.
The captives were denied pillows and bed linen for a long time. Sometimes detainees received only a single sheet and a blanket infested with bugs. Mold formed near washbasins and toilets, and personal hygiene products were distributed only once a month. Inmates were taken to the shower with the same frequency for about five minutes.
Cold and low-quality food
During the cold season, the facility’s premises were not heated. Due to the lack of glass and seals on the windows, there were constant drafts in the cells, and the air temperature dropped to +15 °C and below. The detainees’ nutrition was insufficient, and cockroaches and worms were regularly found in the prepared food.
Civilians had to use technical tap water unfit for consumption for drinking. In addition, people were not allowed daily walks and were not provided with adequate medical care. Subordinates of the suspect systematically beat the detainees on the torso, limbs, and head with rubber batons, hands, and feet.
Suspicion details
Ivan Oleksiyovych Honcharenko, a native of Sukhodilsk in Luhansk Region, is charged with violating the laws and customs of war under Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The sanction of this article provides for eight to 12 years of imprisonment. The criminal proceedings were entered into the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations in September 2022.
Photo: Book of Torturers
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