Even with a summons, the Territorial Recruitment Center has no right to enter someone else’s home without legal grounds

A summons alone does not allow representatives of the Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers (TCCs) to enter private property without legal grounds. Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, stressed this on October 7 in his Telegram channel.

The Ombudsman explained the limits of the authority of TCC staff:

“TCC staff have powers, established by law, to carry out mobilization measures. Remember: a summons is not permission to enter someone else’s home. The presence of police officers nearby does not automatically mean they have the right to enter a residence.”

According to Lubinets, entering private property without grounds provided for by law is an offense, not a mobilization measure. If there are grounds for such access, they must be set out in law, and the prescribed procedure must be followed.

The Ombudsman called such practices a disgraceful legacy of the former leadership of the Ministry of Defense.

“If such incidents continue to be documented—in videos, in citizens’ complaints, during monitoring visits—we cannot turn a blind eye to them. We cannot pretend they do not exist. Because they do exist. We see them. And people see them,” Dmytro Lubinets stressed.

We previously reported:

• Police officer beat a man while taking him to a TCC
• TCC in Odesa operated as an organized criminal group: database information, abductions, police cover-up, victims with deferments
• Bill banning TCC staff from using force and detaining people registered in the Rada
• Mobilization groups: government, police, and TCC representatives to work together
• New mobilization rules: military police to gain the right to access homes