Temnivska colony administration covering up traces of violations

Press release
Kharkiv, 29 October
On 13 October 2008, the Kharkiv Human Rights Group received a report that force was unlawfully used against several prisoners at the Temnivska colony No. 100, after which they were placed in a disciplinary isolation unit. Among the named prisoners were those who had previously filed complaints regarding the actions of the colony administration, and they linked the use of violence against them to these complaints.
On 14 October 2008, lawyer Arkadiy Bushchenko attempted to meet with a number of prisoners to verify the received information. A letter from the Kharkiv Human Rights Group was presented to the head of the colony, requesting, on the basis of Part 3 of Article 110 of the Criminal Executive Code, to provide an opportunity for the lawyer to meet with the prisoners. However, the head of the colony refused to grant access to them. In a letter dated 23 October 2008, the head of the colony justified his refusal by stating, among other things, that “there were no written applications from the convicts for the provision of legal assistance,” “the persons indicated in the letter are mostly serving disciplinary punishment in the DIZO-PKT [disciplinary isolation unit],” and “one person... is employed in the institution’s production, and meetings with working convicts are provided during the convict’s non-working time.”
On 28 October 2008, lawyer Arkadiy Bushchenko again arrived at the colony at 15:30 with a similar letter to obtain a meeting with the prisoners. However, the head of the colony again refused to grant a meeting with the prisoners.
The Kharkiv Human Rights Group expresses concern about the fate and well-being of the prisoners mentioned in the information we received.
For several months prior to 14 October 2008, lawyer Arkadiy Bushchenko met with prisoners unhindered on the basis of Part 3 of Article 110 of the Criminal Executive Code, which allowed for the verification of information received by the Kharkiv Human Rights Group from various sources and, when necessary, the provision of legal assistance.
Given the nature of the information received, the fact that some of the prisoners mentioned in the report had filed complaints with the Prosecutor’s Office some time ago regarding the administration’s actions, as well as the sharp change in the colony management’s position regarding providing the lawyer with access to prisoners, the Kharkiv Human Rights Group has every reason to believe the following: the information we received is true, a number of prisoners were indeed subjected to the illegal use of force, and the colony administration is taking measures to ensure that traces of ill-treatment of prisoners disappear and that those guilty of ill-treatment remain unpunished.