Certificate of detention

Many families of servicemen today are faced with the fact that their relatives are in captivity. In order for relatives to have appropriate confirmation, a mechanism was developed to obtain a certificate of a person's stay in captivity. It can be obtained by both Ukrainian citizens and foreigners, if their relative was captured. We invite you to learn in more detail how this happens.

What does the Ombudsman for Human Rights say?

Dmytro Lubinets recently reported what the procedure is for obtaining a certificate of being in captivity. This can be done in 2 formats:

• through a personal appeal;
• through a legal representative or family member.

Currently, it is possible to apply to the relevant institution independently or online.

To whom is the application for obtaining a certificate sent?

There are several options here. Including:

• Ministry of Defence;
• another central body that belongs to the executive branch of government and deals with issues of military formations;
• law enforcement agency;
• the commander of the unit of the Armed Forces, where the soldier serves;
• another body that belongs to the security and defense forces and has the appropriate powers.

What should you know about the statement itself?

The application form for obtaining a certificate of captivity is optional, but it must contain some mandatory information. It is about the military rank of the prisoner, his P.I.P. and the method of communication with the person submitting the application (postal address, e-mail, phone number must be specified). It is also necessary to indicate the unit in whose staff the person was, the period of captivity or internment in neutral states.

Can they refuse to issue a certificate?

As the ombudsman notes, the certificate may not be issued if any of the listed information has not been specified. In order to create such a document, the authorized bodies need to have complete data. At the same time, there is a rule that a person who is refused a certificate must be informed about it in writing.

How long should the document be issued?

There are certain time frames that must be adhered to by the responsible persons who form the certificate. Up to 30 calendar days are provided for this. Next, the ready certificate is provided in person or sent by mail.

How can our help be useful?

Lawyers of the "Prikhodko&Partners" law firm regularly face client inquiries regarding topics related to military law. Unfortunately, sometimes they are associated with such unpleasant events for the families of servicemen as capture. Documentary aspects are important, so we will help you to set them up. Our team provides a wide range of services. You can apply for advisory support and legal support and representation of interests.

As for counseling, here clients can choose different formats - visit our office and get a face-to-face consultation or use online help. All options are available, so choose the one that will be most comfortable for you.

When a person is captured, it becomes a great stress for relatives. It often makes sense to maintain one's own strength and entrust legal issues to those who specialize in them when it comes to documenting issues.