Starobilsk Pre-trial Detention Centre

The state institution “Starobilsk Pre-trial Detention Centre” was part of the structure of the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine and ensured the performance of the functions of a pre-trial detention centre in accordance with the requirements of the legislation of Ukraine.

The institution was intended for the detention of persons taken into custody, as well as certain categories of convicts in cases provided for by the Criminal-Executive Code of Ukraine and the Law of Ukraine “On preliminary detention”.

Before the beginning of the full-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation, the Starobilsk Pre-trial Detention Centre ensured the execution of procedural decisions of courts and pre-trial investigation bodies, provided medical care to prisoners, and organised the regime of detention and economic maintenance of the institution in accordance with the requirements of national legislation.

After the beginning of the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation in February 2022, the institution found itself in the temporarily occupied territory of the Luhansk region. In connection with the occupation, Ukraine is deprived of the ability to exercise effective management of the institution, ensure state control over its activities, conduct monitoring visits, and guarantee the observance of the rights of persons who may be present on its territory.

At the same time, in accordance with the Constitution of Ukraine, the Law of Ukraine “On ensuring the rights and freedoms of citizens and the legal regime in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine” and the norms of international law, the territory on which the institution is located remains an integral part of Ukraine, and the institution itself continues to belong to the system of the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine. Any decisions or actions of the occupation administration are not recognised by Ukraine and do not create legal consequences.

Due to the lack of access for Ukrainian authorities, the National Preventive Mechanism, international organisations, and independent human rights institutions, it is impossible to carry out objective monitoring of the conditions of detention of persons, verify the state of medical care, compliance with procedural guarantees, the realisation of the right to legal assistance, and other fundamental human rights.

As of today, official information about the actual state of the institution, the number of persons who may be detained on its territory, the conditions of their detention, and the use of the property complex is absent due to the temporary occupation.

Contact information: State institution “Starobilsk Pre-trial Detention Centre”. Type of institution: pre-trial detention centre.

Status: the institution has been located in the temporarily occupied territory since 2022.

Information about the leadership, contact telephones, and email is absent due to the temporary occupation.