Facts
Yevhen Brazhnikov, a Ukrainian citizen and alleged pro-Russian separatist, is suspected of crimes committed during his detention at Izolyatsia, a prison that was controlled since 2014 by members of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). He was held there from April 2017 to December 2019. During this period, Brazhnikov reportedly benefited from a privileged status within the prison, having been recruited by members of the administration.
Procedure
In December 2019, Yevhen Brazhnikov was released from Izolyatsia as part of a prisoner exchange between Ukraine and the so-called DPR. Fellow detainees released at the same time immediately reported his alleged crimes to Ukrainian authorities, prompting the opening of a domestic investigation.
Brazhnikov left Ukraine and relocated to France in 2021, where he applied for asylum. The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisations Truth Hounds and the Ligue des droits de l’Homme (LDH) formally alerted the French authorities to his presence, leading to the opening of a preliminary investigation in France.
On 7 April 2026, Yevhen Brazhnikov was arrested by French investigators. He has been placed in pre-trial detention and indicted of crimes against humanity, war crimes, and complicity in these crimes.