SECTION 2. 27 SECTION 2. Monitoring of Custodial Settings: Findings by Ministries and Agencies 2.1. Results of monitoring of institutions under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Background information on custodial settings under MIA In terms of quantity the network of custodial settings under the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) is the largest of all Ukrainian agencies. The so called official custodial settings include the specially equipped holding facilities and special transport vehicles for convoying of detained, arrested and convicted persons. There is also existing so-called unofficial custodial settings under MIA include offices of detectives and investigators, interrogation rooms and any other premises at the authorities of the Ministry where individuals may be or are held against their will. The general number of city, district and line (on the railroad) agencies of Internal Affairs is 1,056. As of January 1, 2014 the specially equipped holding facilities (areas) include: • • • 1,175 premises for apprehended and detained persons at duty units of the police authorities of Ukraine, used to hold in 2013 3,291 persons; 437 temporary holding facilities (used in 2013 to hold 146,452 persons); 26 reception centers for persons subjected to administrative arrest (accommodated 4,235 arrestees in • • 2013); 13 reception and distribution centers for children, which in 2013 accommodated 141 minors; 587 secure wards at medical institutions, which in 2013 accommodated 829 patients, including 192 with tuberculosis. The largest number of MIA detainees are held at temporary holding facilities. However, the period as of 2010 has shown a tendency towards reduction of the number of such detainees (from 269 thousand in 2010 to 146 thousand in 2013). There was also a decrease in the total number of holding facilities (from 480 in 2010 to 437 in 2013). It is noteworthy that due to the principled position of the Ombudsman and representatives of the National Preventive Mechanism regarding the necessity of proper living and sanitary conditions at temporary holding facilities in 2013 the number of such special institutions significantly decreased (from 462 to 437). Other factors that led to termination of temporary holding facilities’ operation were the reduction in the total number of their prisoners and the unfeasibility of budget allocations for renovations of some aged facilities for bringing detention conditions into compliance with the domestic and international standards.