Lubinets appealed to Germany over alleged violation of Kuznetsov's rights in the pre-trial detention center

Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets has publicly appealed to the competent German authorities over the alleged violation of the rights of Ukrainian Serhiy Kuznetsov, who is in a pre-trial detention center in the Nord Stream bombing case. This is stated in his publications on social media.

Lubinets wrote that he received news from Kuznetsov's wife, who recently visited him in a German detention center. According to her, her husband's rights are being significantly violated.

Since November, he has not made a single phone call, despite the fact that the court officially allowed him such contacts. The administration of the pre-trial detention center has not yet "technically" organized such an opportunity. Kuznetsov has not been given the winter shoes that were transferred and are being stored in the warehouse. The issue of food, despite all previous appeals, has not yet been finally resolved in accordance with his needs, the ombudsman said.

According to him, the Ukrainian is being held in a section for "particularly dangerous" persons, in de facto isolation – 23 hours a day in a single cell. His wife can see him only once a month, and the possibilities of communication and access to normal conditions are severely limited. According to his wife, there is no such level of isolation and pressure in other sections of the institution.

"Such a regime of detention may have signs of inhuman and degrading treatment and potentially be considered a form of torture, which is unacceptable under international human rights standards," Lubinets said.

He publicly appealed to the competent German authorities. Currently, the official is preparing official letters with a detailed list of recorded violations to the German justice, penitentiary system and human rights institutions demanding to remedy the situation.

Lubinets will insist on the possibility of conducting a monitoring visit to Kuznetsov's place of detention in person. He wants to personally check the conditions of the Ukrainian's detention, talk to him in confidence and assess the extent to which his rights are respected.

The Ombudsman demands that he and his delegation be granted unimpeded access to Kuznetsov and that the conditions of his detention be brought in line with the standards of the Council of Europe, the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Convention against Torture.

• Kuznetsov was arrested on August 21, 2025 in Italy. He is accused of participating in the bombing of the Nord Stream gas pipelines. The Italian Court of Appeal upheld extradition of a Ukrainian suspect to Germany.
• November 19, the Court of Cassation rejected appeal and upheld his extradition to Germany.
• In late November, Kuznetsova extradited to Germany and placed in a detention center.