Departmental independence – a necessity or a whim? - Commentary on the article

I have just read the article by the well-known Ukrainian human rights activist Oleksandr Bukalov, which is devoted to issues of the departmental subordination of the Ukrainian penitentiary system.

‘Each to their own’

Personally, I am deeply convinced that in the event of adopting amendments to the Criminal and Criminal Executive Codes of Ukraine, which provide for the imposition of certain obligations on a person released from serving a sentence with a suspended sentence, in particular, completing a social behaviour correction programme, the desired changes will not take place; we will only receive additional expenditure of state funds and ‘adjusted’ statistics on the improvement of the situation.

THE PENAL ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN 2000–2008

Analytical report by the Legal Policy Research Centre: “2008 marked ten years since the adoption of the new penal legislation and the actual creation of the penal enforcement system of sovereign Kazakhstan. This is a sufficiently long period to analyse the stage passed and the effectiveness of the penal enforcement system in the new political and economic realities.”

Is the Independence of the Department a Necessity or a Whim?

An analysis of the creation and activities of the criminal-executive system of Ukraine as an independent structure: history, myths, achievements, and losses. The analysis was prepared by order of the Legal Policy Research Centre (Kazakhstan).

Who needs a new ‘old’ Concept?

EXPERT OPINION on the project of the Concept of the Target Programme for the reform of the State Criminal-Executive Service of Ukraine for 2008–2017. The project of the Concept does not meet the requirements for such documents, was developed for the internal needs of the State Department of Ukraine for the Execution of Sentences, does not reflect the real state of the SCES, does not contain an analysis of failures and problems, and does not define clear measures aimed at improving the situation, in view of which it cannot be submitted for approval and requires thorough revision.

Human rights activist Bukalov: I would not be surprised if a riot breaks out in one of Ukraine's colonies

In recent years, emergencies in penal colonies have begun to occur suspiciously often – incidents in the Donetsk colony, Sokal high-security colony No. 47 (Lviv region), Volnyansk colony No. 20, Dnipropetrovsk colony No. 89, Sverdlovsk colony No. 38 (Luhansk region)... Alexander Bukalov, head of the human rights organisation “Donetsk Memorial”, comments on the situation in Ukrainian penal colonies.

IF YOU END UP IN THE DONETSK PRE-TRIAL DETENTION CENTRE – SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR LUNGS

The list of problems related to the spread of tuberculosis in Ukraine in general and in the Donetsk Pre-trial Detention Centre No. 5 in particular is extensive. If the previous article outlined the difficulties in funding and legislative shortcomings, now it is worth naming other urgent problems.

Tuberculosis as a punishment in the Donetsk Pre-trial Detention Centre

One of the main places of the disease’s spread is the “zone” – or, in normal language – a prison, a temporary detention facility, a pre-trial detention centre, that is, all places of deprivation of liberty.

Report of the Commissioner for Human Rights

“Public monitoring of penal facilities in Ukraine remains insufficient. The Commissioner noted that public monitoring is essential for the successful reform of the system.” Excerpt from the Report by the Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr Thomas Hammarberg, following his visit to Ukraine from 10 to 17 December 2006.

Vinnitsa Human Rights Group filed an objection to the statement of claim

Vinnitsa Human Rights Group filed an objection to the statement of claim of the Stryzhavka Penal Colony (text)

Stryzhavka Penal Colony filed a lawsuit against the Vinnitsa Human Rights Group

Statement of claim regarding the protection of honour, dignity, and business reputation of a legal entity (text)

General characteristics of the State Penitentiary Service and penal institutions in the Lviv region

The information was prepared based on the outcomes of the project ‘Development of Civil Society in Ukraine’, implemented by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine and ISAR Ednannia with financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. The charitable foundation ‘Samodopomoha’ implemented the project ‘Assisting the public in protecting human rights in penal institutions of the Lviv region’.