In the Odesa region, the number of suspects accused of illegally detaining people at the TCC has risen to 13

In the Odesa region, the investigation into the illegal treatment of men at the district recruitment and social support center has taken a new turn. The State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) has notified four more employees of the center that they are under suspicion, bringing the total number of individuals implicated in the case to 13.

Officers from the State Bureau of Investigations, with the assistance of the Military Law Enforcement Service, have identified four additional employees of the district territorial recruitment and social support center in the Odesa region whom investigators believe to be involved in the unlawful detention and abuse of citizens.

They were notified of their status as suspects in the unlawful deprivation of liberty and kidnapping, committed by a group of individuals acting in concert and resulting in physical suffering for the victim.

<picture></picture>PHOTO: dbr.gov.ua

Thus, the number of suspects in this criminal proceeding has risen to 13.

Back in June 2026, the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) reported the exposure of a group of nine people. Among them were six employees of the same district military recruitment center and joint venture, as well as three representatives of a local civic organization.

According to the investigation, the group organized the illegal transport of men to the recruitment center’s premises and their subsequent detention. Representatives of the civic organization, according to law enforcement, helped track down people and gathered information about them.

Investigators documented numerous cases of cruel treatment. The victims were illegally detained, beaten, intimidated, and subjected to psychological pressure.

<picture></picture>PHOTO: dbr.gov.ua

Nine previously identified members of the group are being held in custody without the right to bail. They are charged with torture, unlawful deprivation of liberty, and robbery committed by an organized group.

The pre-trial investigation is ongoing. SBI officers are establishing all the circumstances of the events and investigating the involvement of other individuals.

In early August,Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada’s Human Rights Commissioner, reported that the Odesa region topped a grim national ranking based on complaints regarding possible illegal actions by employees of the TCC and SP. Since the beginning of 2026, the Ombudsman’s Office has already received 453 complaints from residents of the region.

As reported byIntent, the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine has launched an internal investigation into a possible violation of the rights of a person who was held at the Odesa Pretrial Detention Center. The detention center’s management has been suspended from their duties for the duration of the investigation.

Анна Літман