The transfer of convicts from one institution to another of the same type under exceptional circumstances

It seems as though the Department benefits from the absence of a legal framework governing convict transfers. Under these conditions, the administration of a correctional colony, citing “operational circumstances,” can conclude at any time that it is necessary to transfer any convict to another correctional institution.

Problems of cooperation between the Department and supervisory commissions

In the practice of public control, there are cases of unlawful refusal to allow representatives of supervisory commissions to communicate with convicts, as well as the refusal to admit to a penal institution those members of the latter who have been held criminally liable

The state of human rights observance in Ukraine in 2008

The observance of all types of rights in 2008 only deteriorated. This is evidenced both by responses to the direct question about how the situation regarding the observance of rights has changed, and by direct assessments of rights observance.

Problems of the Ukrainian penal enforcement system regarding the rights of convicts

Summary of the Kharkov Human Rights Group

Renaissance Foundation competitions

Competitions for projects on ‘Human Rights in Penal Institutions’, ‘Realisation of the Right to Access Information about Government Activities’ and others are announced in 2009 by the International Renaissance Foundation under the ‘Rule of Law’ programme.

Public control over prisons: an apparent reality

Those who have experienced for themselves what deprivation of liberty in Russian conditions is like, would hardly have perceived as a joke the Law ‘On public control over the provision of human rights in places of detention and on assistance to persons in places of detention’ signed by President Medvedev last summer. Now the law has begun to operate, and public monitoring commissions are being created in the regions on its basis.

In Volyn, consultations are being provided to persons serving sentences in the Kovel Juvenile Colony

The Association for the Protection of Youth Rights of Volyn is continuing to provide consultations throughout February-April 2009 to persons serving sentences in the Kovel Juvenile Colony.

Convicts were beaten, the law was not broken… A court ruling.

Resolution of the Shepetivka District Court of 30 December 2008 regarding a complaint against the prosecutor’s resolution of 7 February 2007 on the refusal to initiate a criminal case regarding the fact of mass beating of prisoners by special units wearing masks in Izyaslav Penal Colony No 31.

Recommendations for improving the work of supervisory commissions and public councils

Recommendations prepared within the framework of the project ‘Promoting the improvement of the regulatory framework for the serving of criminal sentences in Ukraine’, supported by the International Renaissance Foundation

April Fools' Day in the Perevalsk Juvenile Colony

Specialists of the Leninsky district of Luhansk Centre for Social Services for Family, Children and Youth congratulated the children serving sentences and the staff of the Perevalsk Colony on April Fools' Day and wished that everything in their lives would turn out as well as possible.

Monitoring Commissions and Public Councils: Practical Activities in Ukraine

An analysis of the practical activities of monitoring commissions and public councils, carried out within the framework of the project ‘Promoting the Improvement of the Regulatory Framework for the Execution of Criminal Sentences in Ukraine’. Printed in the ASPEKT bulletin No. 1-2008

Another church to be built

The head of the Kryukivska Penal Colony No. 29 had an idea to build a church in the village where the colony-settlement is located, so as to satisfy not only the religious needs of the released settlers but also those of the residents of the village and several surrounding villages.