RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE ACTIVITIES OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS BODIES

In each ITT of the regional administrative district in 2008, current cosmetic repairs were carried out. At the same time, in one of the cells of the ITT of the Semenivskyi regional administrative district, the bathroom needs to be replaced, the bathrooms are not separated in the ITT of the Nizhynskyi MV, Semenivskyi regional administrative district, and the chairs are not equipped in the Ichnyansky ITT. The shelf life of bedding in the ITT of the regional administrative district is 70%. The lighting does not meet international standards in the ITT of the N-Siverskyi, Ichnyanskyi regional administrative district, and in most of the ITTs of the regional administrative district.

It should be noted that in 2008, the activities of mobile groups were intensified. In 2007-2008, members of mobile groups visited all ITTs of the region several times.

Thus, starting from April of this year, members of mobile groups for monitoring the provision of human and civil rights and freedoms in the activities of internal affairs bodies of Chernihiv region, together with the assistant to the Minister, inspected 27 ITTs.

For each fact of identified shortcomings, an instruction is sent to the regional MRA, deadlines are set for eliminating the identified shortcomings, official inspections are carried out, guilty employees, including heads of city district bodies, are brought to disciplinary responsibility. Every Monday, operational meetings are held under the head of the regional MIA, to which, based on the results of ITT inspections, the heads of MRAs are summoned. Appropriate decisions are made for each such fact. Thus, the heads of the Ripkinsky, Nizhynsky, Semenivsky, and Gorodnyansky MRAs were summoned to the latest meetings to eliminate the shortcomings identified during the inspections. Certain deadlines were given for eliminating the shortcomings.

In 2008, 52 employees were brought to disciplinary responsibility for miscalculations in the activities of special police agencies.

On May 28, 2008, the issue “On the work of mobile groups to monitor the protection of human and citizen rights and freedoms in the activities of internal affairs bodies of Chernihiv region” was put forward for consideration at a meeting of the Public Council, which analyzed the work to eliminate the shortcomings identified during the monitoring of the ITT of the city district departments by members of the mobile groups. The issue “On the work of mobile groups for monitoring compliance with human rights in the activities of internal affairs bodies of Chernihiv region in the 2nd half of 2008” was considered at the meeting of the Public Council on August 14, 2008. At the same meeting, the schedule of visits of mobile groups for monitoring compliance with human rights in the activities of internal affairs bodies of Chernihiv region in the 2nd half of 2008 was approved.

Members of the Public Council appealed to charitable foundations and charitable organizations of the region with a request to provide assistance in providing special institutions with bed linen, detergents and to provide assistance in providing detainees with clothing and footwear.

To date, such assistance has been received from the center for medical and social rehabilitation of disabled children “Vidrodzhennia” (director Pasichnyk V.I.) and transferred to the regional ITT.

A television program was broadcast about the

transfer of

humanitarian

aid

(bedding

linen,

detergents,

stationery) to the ITT of the Chernihiv regional district. This work is planned to be continued in the future.

It is worth noting that there have been some positive changes in the ITT of the region, namely: in the ITT of the Ripkinsky rural district, the shower room was renovated, the windows were replaced, in the ITT of the Semenivsky rural district, the bed linen was completely replaced, in the ITT of the Pryluky rural district, hot water was supplied to the cells, in the ITT of the Nizhynsky rural district, repairs were made in all cells, the “fur coat” type wall covering was replaced with a smooth coating. After the mobile group visited the Talalaivsky rural district, the ITT was closed to eliminate the identified shortcomings and has not yet been reopened. Food has improved significantly in most ITTs of the region, towels and soap have appeared.

And this is pleasing, because we believe that the members of the Public Council have made considerable efforts to this end.

4 complaints received from detainees in the ITT have been considered. Each has been checked.

But there are still enough shortcomings that need to be worked on. Issues regarding the material and technical support of temporary detention facilities in the Chernihiv region remain unresolved.

Today, the special institutions of the region are only 70 percent provided with medicines and first-aid kits, there is a decontamination chamber in only one ITT – the Mensky Regional Administrative District, quartz lamps are still only in half of the institutions, hotlines have not been installed in all ITTs.

To equip special institutions with bed linen, household refrigerators (for storing supplies for detainees), stationary electric stoves (for heating food), three-section bathtubs for washing dishes, as well as to replace the windows of cells, in order to bring the sanitary and hygienic condition of the ITT to international standards, capital investments are necessary. During 2007 – 2008, in accordance with existing programs to ensure human rights in places of pre-trial detention, no funds were allocated from the state budget for the repair, reconstruction and material and technical support of the ITT. Equipping the ITT with bathrooms, running water supply, sewage and carrying out annual cosmetic repairs was carried out at the expense of the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

I believe that it is necessary to appeal on behalf of the Public Council to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine with a request to allocate appropriate funds to improve the material and technical support of temporary detention facilities in the Chernihiv region and to put into operation the ITT of Shchors and Nosivskyi Regional Administrative Districts.

Secretary of the Public Council for Human Rights

at the Department of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Chernihiv region

Viktor Tarasov