ANNUAL REPORT OF UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ON OBSERVANCE AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF CITIZENS OF UKRAINE Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine In accordance with Article 18 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights,” hereby I submit to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine the annual report for 2020 on the status of observance and protection of human rights and freedoms of citizens of Ukraine by public authorities, local self-government bodies, associations of citizens, enterprises, institutions, organizations irrespective of the form of ownership and their officials and employees who violated human rights and freedoms of citizens by their action (or omission), as well as on the identified deficiencies in the law on protection of human rights and freedoms of citizens. Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova Kyiv, March 2021 In case of full or partial reproduction of the materials of this publication, reference to the publication is required. Electronic version: www.ombudsman.gov.ua CONTENTS Contents 5 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ...................................................................................................9 OPENING STATEMENT OF THE UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ..............................................................................................................................13 CHAPTER 1 PERSONAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS ......................................................................... 17 1.1. Right to respect for dignity, right to non-interference in personal and family life ...... 19 1.1.1. Right to protection of personal data ........................................................................................ 19 1.1.2. Right to non-interference in personal and family life ......................................................... 17 1.2. Adherence to to the principle of non-discrimination ............................................................ 32 1.2.1. Adherence to the principle of non-discrimination on the grounds of disability ............................................................................................................................................... 33 1.2.2. Adherence to the principle of non-discrimination on the grounds of national and ethnic origin .............................................................................................................. 37 1.2.3. Adherence to the principle of non-discrimination on the grounds of religious beliefs, worldview and religion ......................................................................................................... 41 1.2.4. Adherence to the principle of non-discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity ....................................................................................................... 45 1.2.5. Adherence to the principle of non-discrimination on the grounds of language ............................................................................................................................................... 47 1.3. Right to protection against domestic and gender-based violence ................................. 54 1.4. Freedom of thought and speech ................................................................................................... 61 CHAPTER 2 CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS .................................................................................... 69 2.1. Right to information ........................................................................................................................... 71 2.2. Right of citizens to petition to public authorities, local self-government bodies, their officials and employees ................................................................................................................. 79 2.3. Right to elect and to be elected .................................................................................................... 84 6 ANNUAL REPORT OF UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS CHAPTER 2 CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS ................................................................................... 87 2.4. Right to judicial protection ..............................................................................................................89 2.4.1. Procedural rights in criminal proceedings ..........................................................................89 2.4.2. Procedural rights in civil and administrative proceedings ...........................................99 2.4.3. Procedural rights in places of custody ..............................................................................104 2.4.4. Procedural rights of Ukrainian citizens in places of custody abroad and in the temporarily occupied territories ........................................................................................107 CHAPTER 3 RIGHTS OF THE CHILD .............................................................................................. 115 3.1. Right of the children to social protection and upbringing in the family ......................117 3.2. Rights of the children in alternative care system ...................................................................135 3.3. Rights of the children in the context of an armed conflict ................................................139 3.4. Rights of the children in the juvenile justice system ............................................................144 CHAPTER 4 ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS ..........................................................149 4.1. Right to housing ............................................................................................................................... 152 4.2. Right to a safe environment for life and health ..................................................................... 156 4.3. Right to entrepreneurship ............................................................................................................ 160 4.4. Right to healthcare .......................................................................................................................... 162 4.5. Right to work...................................................................................................................................... 171 4.6. Right to social protection .............................................................................................................. 180 4.7. Right to education and culture ................................................................................................... 192 4.8. Status of observance of economic, social and cultural rights by local self-government bodies in the context of decentralization of power ................. 198 Contents 7 CHAPTER 5 RIGHTS OF PERSONS AFFECTED BY THE ARMED CONFLICT .......................................207 5.1. Right to social and legal protection of civilians affected by the armed conflict ........210 5.2. Rights of citizens living in the temporarily occupied territory .........................................216 5.3. Right to compensation for property (material) damage to civilians affected by armed conflict ......................................................................................................................................223 CHAPTER 6 RIGHTS OF MILITARY SERVANTS, POLICE OFFICERS, RETIREES OF MILITARY SERVICE, VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS ..................................................227 6.1. Rights of military servants and conscripts ...............................................................................230 6.2. Gender issues in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations ...........236 6.3. Rights of persons receiving a pension in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On Pensions to Persons Released from Military Service and Certain Other Persons,” as well as war and service veterans ....................................................................................................238 CHAPTER 7 RIGHT NOT TO BE SUBJECTED TO TORTURE OR TO CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT .....................................................241 7.1. Right to protection from torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment ............................................................................................................................................244 7.2. Right to liberty and security of person ......................................................................................249 7.3. Right to an adequate standard of living, including adequate food, clothing and housing ................................................................................................................................................252 7.4. Right to health care and medical assistance ..........................................................................256 7.5. Right to professional legal aid ......................................................................................................263 8 ANNUAL REPORT OF UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS CHAPTER 8 PROTECTION OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF UKRAINIAN CITIZENS AT THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL ............................................................................................ 277 8.1. Cooperation with international organizations ...................................................................... 269 8.2. Cooperation with the Ombudsmen and institutions