necessary support to the staff of the NPM Department in their monitoring visits to penitentiary facilities and remand prisons. The State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine has taken into account recommendation of the Commissioner and revoked internal instruction #3/2/1-2344 dated 28.04.2010 that prohibited accepting open correspondence from detained and convicted persons to the Commissioner for Human Rights, the European Court, other international organizations to which Ukraine is a party or member state, prosecutor or defense counsel. The said instruction violated the procedure established by the Regulations on the custody of detained and convicted persons in remand prisons of the State Department for Execution of Sentences approved by the Department order #192 dated 20.09.2000. According to the procedure, in case of absence of a postal stamp or funds for its purchase, expenses are born by the remand prison. The issue of compliance with Article 134 of the Criminal Executive Code of Ukraine is under supervision. The said article regulates communication of the convicted person with an attorney or other legal expert authorized by the law to provide legal aid personally or upon assignment of a legal entity during the convicted person’s (prisoner’s) stay at the disciplinary isolation unit, isolation ward, cell-type premises. Rooms for short visits are equipped in accordance with the order of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine # 1118/5 dated 27.07.2012. Shostka correctional colony (№ 66) Zamkova correctional colony (№ 58) Persons sentenced to life imprisonment and the housekeeping unit prisoners have the possibility of unlimited number of phone conversations pursuant to written applications. The calls are conducted via payphones at their own expense. 138