SOS from those detained in the Chernihiv SIZO

Persons detained in Chernihiv SIZO No. 31 turned to the public organisation Centre for Human Rights for help. They reported that on the morning of 29 March 2008, an incident occurred in Chernihiv SIZO No. 31 that goes beyond all bounds of legality. Employees of the aforementioned institution (including the educator of the block for minors) brutally beat three minors who are held in cell 18. The minors Veremeienko Yevhen Dmytrovych, born 1991; Boichuk Yurii Ivanovych, born 1991; and Zaiats Anton Volodymyrovych, born 1990 were affected. Zaiats suffered the most, having received several stitches on his face.
The reason for the beating was the objection of these persons against the violation of their rights as persons held in custody, namely against having their mattresses taken away from their sleeping places. This procedure is applied regularly in this block as “educational”.
In addition, this morning about 40 people held in this institution submitted complaints to the management of Chernihiv SIZO No. 31 regarding the conditions of detention in the SIZO. In this institution, about 30 people are held who are HIV-positive and are not receiving proper medical care.
As of today, everything is being done to conceal this incident. Psychological pressure and threats of various natures are being applied to the aforementioned persons by the SIZO staff.

This letter was delivered by hand to the Chernihiv Region Prosecutor's Office and a copy was handed to the first deputy head of the Chernihiv Regional State Administration, with a request to urgently consider this statement and involve a representative of our organisation in the verification of these facts.

In the received and registered complaints, the detained persons complain that “... during searches, personal belongings are thrown onto a dirty floor in the corridor, clothes are torn and are not then compensated... they are constantly humiliated and intimidated... there is no ventilation in the cells...”, “at night they turn off the power outlets... there are people with tuberculosis in the cells... manual abuse occurs...”, “... at night they turn off the water and power outlets... there is no treatment for tuberculosis patients and HIV-infected persons... the diet is given not by the medical unit, but by a captain... they apply physical force to minors... the cells have concrete floors, there are no bedside tables, hangers, hooks, shelves...”.


Chernihiv Centre for Human Rights
O.V. Pidhornyi
31 March 2008