Parcels to Moscow pre-trial detention centres will be delivered via online shops

The Department of the Federal Penitentiary Service for Moscow plans to organise the sale and delivery of goods to persons held in pre-trial detention centres upon the requests of their relatives via online shops

Ussuriysk: a criminal case has been opened regarding the poisoning of detainees in a pre-trial detention centre

Investigative bodies have opened a criminal case against the deputy head for personnel and educational work of the Ussuriysk pre-trial detention centre, in which three detainees died from poisoning

Must prisoners pay for the humanisation of prisons?

The head of the human rights organisation “Donetsk Memorial” has appealed to the President of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko, with a proposal to veto the Law of Ukraine, which provides for the humanisation of the conditions of detention of convicts in places of imprisonment.

The Rada has increased the minimum living space for convicts and removed restrictions on parcels and calls

The Rada has made the procedure for convicts serving criminal sentences more humane. On 21 January, it introduced amendments to the Criminal Executive Code of Ukraine regarding the ensuring of the rights of convicted persons in penal institutions.

Tigipko considers the voting results in prisons dishonest

Presidential candidate and leader of the ‘Strong Ukraine’ party Serhiy Tigipko considers the voting results in prisons dishonest

Correspondence of convicts with bodies and persons authorised to protect human rights will not be subject to review

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has adopted as a whole the Law of Ukraine ‘On Amending Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Regarding Ensuring the Right of Persons Held in Custody and Convicted Persons to Unimpeded Correspondence with a Lawyer’

‘Aibolit’ charity campaign

In the period from 21 December 2009 to 7 January 2010, the public organisation ‘Aibolit’ (Simferopol) held a Christmas campaign called ‘Mercy for Prisoners’. The main goal of the campaign was to collect charitable aid and voluntary donations for prisoners

Elections at a special polling station – in the Chernihiv women's colony

At the special polling stations where convicts took part in the voting, no violations of the convicts’ electoral rights were found.

Zones of special attention

Amendments regulating public control over prisons have been submitted to the State Duma. State Duma deputies propose fining officials for attempts to hinder public control over Russian prisons.

Did he leave, or was he ‘made to leave’?

The head of the State Department for the Execution of Criminal Sentences in the Kherson region, Vladimir Pinkas, has retired

Two special operations conducted in the department's institutions

With the aim of ensuring proper law and order in penal institutions and pre-trial detention centres during the New Year and Christmas holidays, and reliable blocking of channels for the entry of prohibited items and things into guarded zones, the special operations ‘Zaslon’ (Barrier) and ‘Shchyt’ (Shield) were conducted (according to the department's website information)

Makiivka BYuT members took care of the prisoners

Staff of the medical unit of the Makiivka colony No. 32 were presented with sets of X-ray films