Iurii Kaev

A resident of the Kherson Region, Ukraine, a Red Cross volunteer. On August 5, 2022, he was detained by unidentified individuals who seized expensive medical equipment he was transporting, as well as money collected for humanitarian purposes. Kaev was placed in a pre-trial detention centre. The next day he was taken to Melitopol with a plastic bag placed over his head and brought into an administrative building where, according to him, he was beaten. Then he was taken to Kherson, where he was subjected to torture, including electric shocks; wires were attached to his genitals; he was beaten with kicks and with sticks on his back, arms, and feet; doused with water; had his mouth and face covered with a towel while water was poured over him. He was subjected to the so-called “monkey” position — his hands were tied, he was forced to wrap his arms around his knees, a rod was passed under his legs, and chairs were placed at either end so that he was suspended on the rod, which pressed into his muscles and tendons. Later, as he testified in court, a staged video of his detention was filmed, which was later broadcasted on the Rossiya 24 TV channel. In September, he and other detainees were forced to leave fingerprints on weapons and explosives. In October 2022, Kaev was taken to Simferopol, where he was charged with preparation for an act of international terrorism and formally remanded in custody. Kaev stated in court that he signed a confession without reading it. He was also beaten there. On October 14, he was transferred to Moscow. His lawyer noted that the case file states that “on August 5 Kaev’s criminal activity was suppressed,” yet it does not explain how he ended up in Simferopol. He was also charged with participation in a terrorist community. At the court hearing on May 15, 2025, where the case was examined on the merits, Kaev was brought in with visible injuries on his face. He said that he lost consciousness and hit his head after being forced to climb stairs in a squatting position in retaliation for a complaint he had previously filed regarding the conduct of escort officers. On January 30, 2026, Kaev was sentenced to 14 years in a strict regime colony.