New publications: Problems of ensuring the rights of convicts in the penal system of Ukraine

The 'Prava Liudyny' ['Human Rights'] publishing house has released a scientific publication by the Kharkiv Human Rights Group, 'Problems of ensuring the rights of convicts in the penal system of Ukraine', under the general editorship of Yevhen Zakharov. The volume of the publication is 368 pages.
The authors of separate chapters of this study are V.A. Badyra, O.P. Bukalov, A.P. Hel, M.V. Romanov, I.S. Yakovets; Under the general editorship of Ye.Yu. Zakharov. Kharkiv Human Rights Group. – Kharkiv: Prava Liudyny, 2009. – 368 pages.

The book investigates current problems of a conceptual nature, dedicated to the realisation of the principle of the presumption of innocence, punishment by conditions of confinement, the inconsistency and contradictory nature of the reform of the penal service of Ukraine, flaws in current legislation, international control over the activities of penal institutions, and national preventive mechanisms.

Problems of an applied nature are also investigated, among which are the determination of the type of colony in which a convict must serve their sentence and the place of serving the sentence, the transfer of convicts from one institution to another of the same type in the presence of exceptional circumstances, the legal status of convicts, and the provision of the right to legal aid, as well as the socio-economic rights of convicts. A separate chapter considers issues of convicts' labour, and their medical and social-domestic support.

Various aspects of public control over the activities of penal institutions are considered, as are the problems of cooperation between the Department for the Execution of Sentences and supervisory commissions. Also considered are the reports provided by participating states in accordance with Article 19 of the Convention, the conclusions and recommendations of the Committee against Torture, Recommendation Rec(2006)13 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the use of remand in custody, the conditions in which it takes place, and the provision of safeguards against abuse, with an explanatory memorandum.

The full text of the publication can be viewed on the website of the Kharkiv Human Rights Group
http://library.khpg.org/index.php?id=1245864966