- Constant carrying of a sandbag – is used towards underage persons who are
on the preventive register for suicide/self-harm tendencies (40 persons are in
the registry). The minors punished in this manner have to carry the sandbag
with them at all times, including during sleep;
- Marching on the training ground entails the juvenile marching along the
square perimeter for several hours; there were cases of all-day marching by a
group singing a military song.
A monitoring visit to Temnivka correctional colony (#100) revealed facts of
multiple violations of human rights and freedoms in the functioning of the said facility.
For instance, administration of the prison uses the so-called “active” unit to
maintain order. In violation of criminal executive legislation, the said unit practically
performs functions of correction and control.
We should note that the staff of the Secretariat of the Commissioner for Human
Rights has repeatedly encountered these practices of correctional and juvenile
correctional facilities of the State Penitentiary Service whereby the administration
practically holds aloof from its duties on correction and control of the convicts’
behavior. Instead, they place these important functions with other convicted persons
thus violating national legislation and international human rights standards.
However, particularly in Temnivka correctional colony (№ 100) the use of the
so-called “active” unit has reached extreme scale. The administration formalized this
practice by establishing the “order section” performing the functions of maintaining
order and controlling behavior of convicted persons. The convicted persons from the
section walk around the territory with red armbands; they gather in their premises
where field officers give instructions, including on measures in relation to individual
convicts; they take part in both general and personal searches etc.
They enjoy privileges from the administration, and can move freely around the
territory, as well as have their own gym. All interviewed convicts that the so-called
drill is implemented through to “active” unit with disciplinary punishments for minor
violations. For instance, one of the “activists” required the junior inspection to write a
report on violation of the regime for a minor violation (damaged clothing tag). When
the latter refused, the “activists” personally took the convict to the duty unit where he
continued to demand disciplinary sanctions from the administration.
The duty unit has specialized room with barred windows foreseen by the
legislation. The room has no furniture/appliances except for a table. According to the
administration, the said room is used for searches. At the same time, the convicts stated
that these premises are used for temporary (up to 10 hours) holding of convicts who
had violated the procedures, until obtaining their explanations.
During visits to Dykanivska (#12) and Pervomaysky (#117) correctional
colonies, and interviews with the convicted persons, members of monitoring groups
received information about numerous violations of the rights of convicted persons, as
well as identified instances of ill-treatment that can amount to torture, cruel, inhuman,
or degrading treatment or punishment.
The so-called correction measures start from the moment of convicted persons’
arrival to the facility when the staff and “active” inmates offer newcomers to clean
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