PUBLIC COUNCIL ON HUMAN RIGHTS

During preliminary consultations with the public of Chernihiv region, and then with their participation, the Regulations on the Public Council under the Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Chernihiv region, its work regulations were developed and the composition of the Council in the number of 15 of its members was approved. During the year, two members left, and 2 new ones were accepted. A co-chairman from the Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Chernihiv region was elected twice (Kostyuk V.V., Nonik V.V.). This year, on April 9, at a meeting of the Council, a new co-chairman from the Department was elected – I.P. Katerynchuk.

The Council prepared a sample certificate of a member of the GR, which was approved at a meeting of the Council. All members of the Council received certificates from the public.

The Public Council under the Regional Department of Internal Affairs includes representatives of human rights organizations and activists of the human rights movement of Chernihiv region.

7 working groups have been created under the Council:

– consideration of applications for illegal actions of employees of internal affairs bodies;

– ensuring the right to protection from torture and the right to freedom and personal integrity in the work of the Internal Affairs Department;

– the Internal Affairs Department and the human right to peaceful assemblies and rallies;

– children’s rights and internal affairs bodies;

– rights of refugees and migrants;

– prevention of domestic violence, child abuse, human trafficking and gender equality in the internal affairs bodies;

– education in the field of human rights and gender issues in the internal affairs bodies.

The activities of the Council, its composition and documents that are formed during its work are available on the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Chernihiv region, the “Public Council” page www.kop.gov.ua with an expanded menu by areas of activity.

Representatives of public organizations that are members of the Council are busy working in their organizations, and each of them uses its results in the relevant working group.

Thus, the head of the Public Control Committee of the NGO “Public Control” T. Petrova monitors the protection and observance of the rights and freedoms of children and orphans in the activities of the criminal police for children of the regional center; the Human Rights Protection Committee and its representatives V. Tarasov, O. Tarasov, O. Trofimov are engaged in studying and conducting joint activities on an educational campaign among the population on human trafficking, provide legal and social assistance to victims of trafficking, and provide legal assistance to citizens; T. Ediev monitors compliance with the rights of illegal migrants during detention by police officers in the region, compliance with the legislation by the departments of the Regional Directorate of Immigration and Refugees and Citizenship of the Ministry of Internal Affairs during the registration of illegal migrants and foreigners, and during the year a migrant detention center in the village of Rosudyv, Ripky district, Chernihiv region was visited during its construction. All members of the Council participated in the study of the facts of illegal actions by the police officers of the region, set out in the appeals and complaints of citizens, if necessary by visiting the places. Citizens’ appeals are received at a special address, which is posted in the reception rooms of citizens, in an open place in all premises of the microdistrict departments of the region, as well as on information stands. Also, this address is posted in local media (instruction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine dated 05.06.2007 No. 13/7-1225).

The head of the regional organization of the Union of Women of Ukraine I. Dorozhkina paid attention to the issue of domestic violence, as well as gender issues. On the basis of the training center for training employees of internal affairs bodies under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Chernihiv region, within the framework of the curriculum, classes were held on a voluntary basis with employees of the patrol service, district police inspectors on issues of domestic violence and gender issues.

At the initiative of the co-chairman of the Council A. Lepekha and member of the GR V. Badyra, together with specialists, the issue of reintegration into society of persons who have served sentences in the form of restriction of liberty or deprivation of liberty for a certain period, as well as those released from further serving the specified types of punishments due to illness, is being studied. The issue of creating a temporary shelter for homeless adult citizens in Chernihiv was raised in a parliamentary appeal by A. Lepekh, a deputy of the Chernihiv City Council of the fifth convocation, and in letters from the head of the Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Chernihiv Oblast to the heads of the Chernihiv Regional State Administration and Chernihiv City Council (letter dated 04/16/2007, letters dated 04/12/07 and 09/26/07 No. 13/7-1929).

The mobile groups included representatives of public human rights organizations, including Viktor Tarasov, Tamara Petrova, Ala Lepekh, Oleksandr Trofimov, Nataliya Piddubna, Serhiy Vodolagin, Tukhan Ediev. On November 21, 2006, the Council prepared Order No. 647, which determined the main areas of activity and, together with police officers, participation in the work of mobile groups. In accordance with the approved work schedules of the mobile group (dated April 18, 2007, July 11, 2007, September 20, 2007), during 2007, 10 monitoring inspections of the ITT were carried out (Nizhyn city district department, Kozeletsky, Borznyansky, Mensky, Koropsky, Chernihivsky, Koryukivsky, Ripkynsky, Varvynsky, Talalayivsky district departments), and the issue of compliance with children’s rights by employees of the criminal police for children of the Chernihiv city department of internal affairs (Desnyansky VM and Novozavodsky VM of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs). Transport for trips was provided by order of the head of the Department. Based on the results, reports were compiled and sent to the Department of Monitoring Human Rights in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Minister’s Office.

Since May 2007, a joint public reception room has been operating. Representatives of public human rights organizations – members of the Council S. Vodolagin, T. Petrova, V. Tarasov, A. Lepekha, N. Piddubna took part in five receptions of citizens by the head of the Department. The reception was carried out in accordance with the schedule developed and approved at the meeting of the General Assembly (minutes 5 of 05/24/2007).

In December 2006, the management of the Department took part in an expert round table, which discussed the issues of the actual level of observance of the rights of both persons detained by law enforcement officers and police officers themselves.

During 2007, nine meetings of the Public Council under the Department of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Chernihiv region were held, at which 30 decisions were made, of which 24 were implemented and 4 are in the implementation stage. In September 2007, the work of the Public Council under the Department of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Chernihiv region was considered by the expanded board of the Department, to which the members of the Council reported on the work carried out.

This year of work revealed a large number of problems in the activities of the internal affairs bodies of Chernihiv region, which directly relate to human rights. However, joint work was carried out in conditions of mutual understanding and agreed positions on the part of both the police and human rights NGOs. The current year will set the Council new tasks and problematic issues of human rights observance, which will remain a priority for the new leadership of the Department, and cooperation between law enforcement agencies and public human rights organizations will develop and deepen. Therefore, the initiative from the public will be of great help in the activities of law enforcement agencies.

Co-Chair

I.P. Katerynchuk

A. Lepekha