Another Death in a Kyiv Pre-Trial Detention Centre – Suicide

The Kyiv Prosecutor’s Office has carried out an investigation into the death of convict Larysa Tsyhankova in the Kyiv Pre-Trial Detention Centre, who committed suicide on the night of 25 December 2007.

This was reported on Thursday by the press service of the General Prosecutor’s Office.

During the inspection of the scene, a suicide note was discovered in which the deceased expressed her disagreement with the verdict of the Solomianskyi District Court and denied her guilt in the murder.

Regarding the aforementioned suicide, the Shevchenkivskyi District Department of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Kyiv refused to open a criminal case due to the absence of a crime. The Shevchenkivskyi District Prosecutor’s Office is currently verifying the legality of this decision.

Furthermore, as a result of the inspection, violations of the law on pre-trial detention were discovered. Specifically, officials at the Kyiv Pre-Trial Detention Centre had relaxed control over the behaviour of Tsyhankova, who was registered as being prone to suicide, and psychological work with her was conducted only formally.

Following the identified violations, the Kyiv Prosecutor’s Office submitted a motion to the head of the State Department for the Execution of Punishments to bring the responsible officials to disciplinary account.

Based on the results of inspections conducted by the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Kyiv Prosecutor’s Office in 2007 regarding two murders and other deaths that occurred in the Kyiv Pre-Trial Detention Centre in the second half of 2007, five prosecutorial response documents were issued.

In addition, 23 officials were brought to disciplinary account, two of whom were dismissed from their positions.

A criminal case has been opened by the Kyiv Prosecutor’s Office against the deputy duty assistant to the head of the pre-trial detention centre, which has been sent to the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv.

Furthermore, in accordance with the decisions of the Kyiv Court of Appeal and the Shevchenkivskyi District Court, compulsory medical measures have been applied to the individuals who committed the murders of Orlov and Postnikov in the Kyiv Pre-Trial Detention Centre, due to their insanity.