MENU
Documenting
war crimes in Ukraine

The Tribunal for Putin (T4P) global initiative was set up in response to the all-out war launched by Russia against Ukraine in February 2022.

On the readiness of the penitentiary system of Ukraine to counteract the spread of COVID-19

11.08.2020   
Yevgeniy Zakharov, Anna Ovdiienko, Mykhailo Romanov, Gennadiy Tokarev
Currently more than 52 000 persons are detained in penitentiary institutions and pre-trial detention centers in Ukraine, according to the information from the Ministry of Justice. Add to this number 28 000 of employees and we will receive the real picture that indicates another risk group that must be kept in sight when we talk about counteracting COVID-19.

Faced with the challenge of worldwide spread of infectious disease, the human community does not always demonstrate the ability to effectively avoid the spread of the disease. The epidemiological situation in many countries has forced the governments to take unprecedented measures directed at stopping the quick spread of the disease. However, even when harsh measures are taken, some objects still remain beyond the attention of governments and society, being at the same time one of the most dangerous sources of the spread of the disease. We are talking about places of imprisonment in general and about penitentiary institutions in particular.

Currently more than 52 000 persons are detained in penitentiary institutions and pre-trial detention centers in Ukraine, according to the information from the Ministry of Justice. Add to this number 28 000 of employees and we will receive the real picture that indicates another risk group that must be kept in sight when we talk about counteracting COVID-19.


This report was prepared by Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation. The views, expressed in this publication, are those of the authors and may not coincide with the official position of the International Renaissance Foundation.

Download PDF


The publication was prepared with in the implementation of the UNDP project “Civil Society for Enhanced Democracy and Human Rights in Ukraine” with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.

The material provided in this publication is subject to copyright. However, the United Nations Development Programme welcomes the dissemination of such information for non-commercial purposes.


This publication was prepared with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation. The views, expressed in this publication, are those of the authors and may not coincide with the official position of the International Renaissance Foundation


EC Project “Making Ukraine resistant to torture, ill-treatment and impunity”
 Share this