23 years of "slavery" – a man will be tried in Lviv region for holding a classmate in labor dependency
Prosecutors have sent an indictment to court against a 71-year-old resident of Horodok, Lviv region, who is accused of recruiting, transporting, and labor exploiting his former classmate.
According to the Office of the Prosecutor General, from 2002 until the end of September 2025, the accused, taking advantage of the vulnerable state of his acquaintance, involved him in physical labor and effectively kept him in dependency by applying psychological and physical pressure.
More than 20 years ago, the victim's sister asked a local entrepreneur to help find housing for her 47-year-old brother, who had problems with alcohol abuse.
As a former classmate, the man offered him work around the household with accommodation on his property. Over time, this "work" turned into labor exploitation. According to the investigation, the victim was deprived of freedom of movement and had his documents, including his passport, taken away.
The man did not receive monetary compensation for performing various jobs—instead, he was only given food, cigarettes, and a place to live, which increased his dependency. He received tasks personally or by phone.
From March to October, he was periodically taken to the territory of an agricultural enterprise to guard a plot with a lake and care for pigs. Accommodation was in a metal container without windows, heating, water, or sanitary conditions.
During the cold season, the victim lived in an outbuilding next to the entrepreneur's three-story house. The room was heated by a stove, but due to lack of proper insulation, the heat did not retain. There was also no water supply, conditions for cooking, or a proper toilet.
According to the investigation, the man was in labor exploitation for 23 years. During this period, he complained about his health but was ignored. For "improper performance" of work, physical violence was applied to him, including beatings with a stick, as well as psychological pressure and humiliation.
At the end of September last year, the victim was released. He is now 72 years old.
Medical examination found cardiovascular diseases, hand injuries, and complete loss of teeth.
Psychological examination confirmed that prolonged violence, isolation, and deprivation of basic needs led to suppression of will, loss of ability to live independently, and formation of complete dependence on the accused.
The victim is currently in a geriatric nursing home, where he receives care and treatment.
The entrepreneur's actions are qualified under Part 2 of Article 149 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — recruiting and transporting a person for exploitation, committed using deception, the vulnerable state of the person, with the use of violence that is not dangerous to life or health, and the threat of its use.
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