CPT/Inf (2002) 23 Report to the Ukrainian Government on the visit to Ukraine carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 10 to 26 September 2000 The Ukrainian Government has agreed to the publication of this report and of its response. The Government's response is set out in document CPT/Inf (2002) 24. A Ukrainian translation of the visit report, provided by the Ukrainian authorities, is also available on the CPT's website (www.cpt.coe.int). Strasbourg, 9 October 2002 - 2 - CONTENTS Copy of the letter transmitting the CPT's report ............................................................................4 I. INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................5 A. Dates of the visit and composition of the delegation ..............................................................5 B. Establishments visited...............................................................................................................6 C. Consultations held by the delegation.......................................................................................7 D. Co-operation between the CPT and the Ukrainian authorities............................................8 E. Immediate observations pursuant to Article 8, paragraph 5, of the Convention .............10 II. FACTS FOUND DURING THE VISIT AND ACTION PROPOSED ..............................11 A. Militia establishments .............................................................................................................11 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................11 2. Torture and other forms of ill-treatment..........................................................................12 3. Safeguards against the ill-treatment of persons deprived of their liberty........................16 a. notification of custody............................................................................................16 b. access to a lawyer...................................................................................................17 c. access to a doctor ...................................................................................................17 d. information on rights..............................................................................................18 e. conduct of interviews .............................................................................................18 f. custody registers.....................................................................................................18 4. Conditions of detention ...................................................................................................19 a. district police stations.............................................................................................19 b. Militia central holding facilities (ITT) ...................................................................21 B. Establishments under the authority of the State Department for the Execution of Sentences ..................................................................................................................................25 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................25 2. Ill-treatment .....................................................................................................................26 3. Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment........................................................................27 4. Prisoners subject to a special regime...............................................................................31 5. Conditions of detention of the general prison population ...............................................32 - 3 - a. follow-up visit to Colony No. 85 ...........................................................................32 b. newly visited establishments..................................................................................34 i. Simferopol SIZO No. 15................................................................................34 ii. Colony No. 52 in Yenakyevo .........................................................................36 6. Health-care services.........................................................................................................39 a. introduction ............................................................................................................39 b. staff and facilities ...................................................................................................40 c. medical screening on admission.............................................................................41 d. tuberculosis ............................................................................................................42 7. Other issues......................................................................................................................42 a. prison staff..............................................................................................................42 b. discipline and strict cellular regime .......................................................................43 c. contact with the outside world ...............................................................................44 d. complaints and inspection procedures ...................................................................45 e. stability of prisoners' accommodation....................................................................46 f. transit and transport of prisoners............................................................................46 C. Psychiatric establishments .....................................................................................................48 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................48 2. Ill-treatment .....................................................................................................................49 3. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) ....................................................................................49 4. Staff resources .................................................................................................................50 5. Patients' living conditions................................................................................................50 6. Treatment.........................................................................................................................52 7. Means of restraint ............................................................................................................53 8. Safeguards in the context of involuntary placement .......................................................54 D. Military detention facilities ....................................................................................................57 III. RECAPITULATION AND CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................59 APPENDIX I : List of the CPT's recommendations, comments and requests for information.................65 APPENDIX II : List of national authorities, other instances and non-governmental organisations met by the CPT's delegation ..................................................................................................83 - 4 - Copy of the letter transmitting the CPT's report Strasbourg, 17 April 2001 Dear Mr Shtanko, In pursuance of Article 10, paragraph 1, of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, I have the honour to enclose herewith the report to the Government of Ukraine drawn up by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) following its visit to Ukraine from 10 to 26 September 2000. The report was adopted by the CPT at its 44th meeting, held from 6 to 9 March 2001. I would draw your attention in particular to paragraph 192 of the report, in which the CPT requests the Ukrainian authorities to provide within six months a response setting out the action taken upon its visit report. The CPT would ask, in the event of the response being forwarded in Ukrainian, that it be accompanied by an English or French translation. It would also be most helpful if the Ukrainian authorities could provide a copy of the response in a computer-readable form. I am at your entire disposal if you have any questions concerning either the CPT's report or the future procedure. Finally, I would be grateful if you could acknowledge receipt of this letter. Yours sincerely, Silvia CASALE President of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Mr Ivan SHTANKO Director Ukrainian State Department for the Execution of Sentences 81, Melnikova str. 04050 KYIV - 5 - I. INTRODUCTION A. Dates of the visit and composition of the delegation 1. In pursuance of Article 7 of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (hereinafter referred to as "the Convention"), a delegation of the CPT carried out a visit to Ukraine from 10 to 26 September 2000. The visit formed part of the Committee's programme of periodic visits for 2000. It was the CPT's third visit to Ukraine, the previous visits having