Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, reports of human rights violations within Ukraine have increasingly surfaced in the public domain. Online, videos and testimonies have emerged documenting forced conscription: street detentions, beatings, the drafting of people with disabilities, and deaths following mobilization. Families of conscripts describe arbitrary actions by military commissions—yet such stories are rarely covered by national media. European outlets, too, tend to sidestep the issue. At the same time, bloggers close to the authorities have defended these harsh measures, framing them as an unavoidable aspect of wartime governance.
Complaints have also mounted regarding state pressure on journalists, lawyers, civil society representatives, and dissenting voices. These include targeted sanctions without court decisions, restrictions on free expression, and selective application of mobilization laws.
Against this backdrop, on July 8, 2025, the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights published a memorandum outlining key human rights priorities in the context of future peace efforts. For the first time, an official international document has acknowledged what many in Ukraine have been saying for two years: systemic and documented human rights violations under martial law. The report addresses not only the actions of Russian authorities, but also the responsibilities of the Ukrainian state—in areas such as mobilization, treatment of civilians, access to justice, press freedom, and adherence to democratic procedures.
Systemic Abuses in Ukraine’s Mobilization Process Require Immediate Action
In its recently published memorandum on human rights as part of the peace process in Ukraine, the Council of Europe places particular emphasis on mobilization practices and rights restrictions under martial law. The document was prepared by Human Rights Commissioner Michael O’Flaherty following his visit to Ukraine in March 2025.
Since February 24, 2022, Ukraine has been under martial law and general mobilization. This has been accompanied by a formal derogation from the European Convention on Human Rights, including freedoms of expression, assembly, and movement, as well as the right to education, free elections, and respect for private and family life.
However, as the memorandum underscores, "any restrictions on human rights must be strictly required by the exigencies of the situation and consistent with the State’s obligations under international law." It also emphasizes that the right to life, freedom from torture and slavery, and the prohibition of inhuman treatment are absolute and may not be restricted under any circumstances.
Particular concern is raised over human rights violations in the mobilization process. The Commissioner cites a statement by Ukraine’s Parliamentary Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets, who declared that "human rights violations by Ukrainian military enlistment offices have become systematic and large-scale." The reported abuses include:
 ⋅ "physical violence, including beatings";
 ⋅ "harsh detentions";
 ⋅ "denial of access to legal counsel, isolation from the outside world";
 ⋅ "conscription of individuals with disabilities".
The Commissioner also reports receiving "similar testimonies, including allegations of torture and deaths during military conscription."
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He emphasizes that while Ukraine has the right to mobilize citizens for national defense, this must be done with "zero tolerance" for abuses. Among his recommendations:
 ⋅ effective investigation of every reported case of violence;
 ⋅ establishment of an independent mechanism to monitor mobilization processes and the detention of individuals who may have been unlawfully deprived of liberty;
 ⋅ training for all enlistment office personnel on human rights standards and proper treatment of civilians.
The memorandum also refers to a newly established state institution—the Presidential Commissioner for the Protection of the Rights of Military Personnel and Their Families, headed by Olha Kobylinska-Reshetylova. According to her, the office received over 6,000 complaints in just two and a half months. The Commissioner urges strengthening the office’s mandate and ensuring it is adequately resourced.
Pressure on Freedom of Expression
The second key section of the memorandum addresses pressure on journalists, human rights defenders, lawyers, and civil society actors who criticize the actions of Ukrainian authorities. The document records instances of intimidation and other forms of pressure, including:
 ⋅ "the imposition of so-called 'personal sanctions' on Ukrainian citizens, restricting their freedom of movement, freedom of expression, and property rights."
The Commissioner stresses that such measures "bypass regular judicial mechanisms" and constitute a serious infringement of rights, violating:
 ⋅ the presumption of innocence,
 ⋅ the right to a fair trial,
 ⋅ the right to be informed of the nature of the accusations,
 ⋅ the right to an effective legal remedy.
Particularly concerning are cases in which individual critics of the government were subjected to sanctions or mobilized into the army, which, according to the Commissioner, could have a "chilling effect on freedom of expression."
The Commissioner also reminds that Ukraine is obligated to safeguard media freedom and journalistic independence, even during wartime. He endorses the recommendations of the European Commission as outlined in the 2024 EU Enlargement Report, which urges Ukraine to gradually restore a transparent and pluralistic media environment.