GENEVA -- A U.N.-backed human rights expert monitoring President Vladimir Putin’s Russia decried on Monday increased violence in the country caused by former prisoners who have their sentences shortened or pardoned to fight in Ukraine and then return home to commit crimes including rape and murder.

Mariana Katzarova, who is tasked with observing human rights in Russia under a mandate from the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council, stated that the return to Russia of former criminals who have had their records expunged is exacerbating domestic violence.

This practice first emerged last year among returning fighters, but Katzarova pointed out that pardons and reduced sentences for prisoners agreeing to fight in Ukraine became law in Russia in March.

According to Katzarova, an estimated 170,000 individuals with prior convictions for violent crimes have been recruited to participate in the war in Ukraine.

“Many of these individuals who return -- a trend that is becoming increasingly evident -- have been engaging in new violent acts, particularly against women, girls, and children, including sexual violence and murder,” she stated in Geneva, where the council is holding its autumn session.

“This has resulted in a rise in violence against women in Russia, a nation that already grapples with an alarmingly high rate of such violence, with thousands of women losing their lives each year due to domestic abuse,” she remarked. “There is no specific legislation in Russia that criminalizes domestic violence or gender-based violence.”

Russia's military campaign in Ukraine has entered its third year, and the Kremlin has made significant efforts to replenish its troops engaged in the conflict. In 2022, authorities initiated a partial mobilization, calling up approximately 300,000 men. Human rights organizations and media outlets have also documented efforts to recruit individuals serving prison sentences across the vast country. Initially, these recruitment efforts were spearheaded by the Wagner mercenary group, but subsequently, Russia's Ministry of Defense assumed responsibility, according to activists and media reports.

In March, the Russian legislature passed a law allowing authorities to release prisoners who enlist in the military and sign a contract with the Defense Ministry.