The Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has published today the report on its visit to Ukraine in September 2009, together with the response of the Ukrainian Government.

In its report, the CPT notes an improvement of material conditions of detention in law enforcement establishments and of the conditions in which immigration detainees are held, as well as the stepping up of efforts aimed at the social rehabilitation of prisoners and their preparation for release.

However, the Committee expresses concern that little progress has been made in many other areas. This relates in particular to :
- the treatment of persons detained by law enforcement agencies (a substantial number of allegations of police ill-treatment were heard during the visit),
- the situation in pre-trial establishments (notably at Kyiv SIZO, where deplorable material conditions were observed) and
- the conditions under which life-sentenced prisoners serve their sentences (impoverished regime of activities, excessive security arrangements, severe restrictions on contact with the outside world, etc.).

The CPT makes a series of recommendations aimed at addressing these problems. (more...)