A multilateral meeting on the topic of “Provision of health care in prisons: presentation of the updated 2025 standard of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT)” took place on 10-11 June 2026. The event, organised by the Police and Deprivation of Imprisonment Department of the Council of Europe, reaffirmed the commitment of Council of Europe member states to strengthen their prison health systems and ensure the implementation of the updated CPT standards in practice.
The event brought together representatives from 37 Council of Europe member states, including representatives of prison administrations, health authorities, medical professionals, experts and partner organisations, to discuss the updated standards.
The participants of the meeting deepened their understanding of the updated standards and exchanged views on their practical implementation in prison systems across Europe. Health care in prisons remains one of the most important aspects of humane detention and a key guarantee for the protection of the rights of persons deprived of their liberty.
The discussions focused on the practical application of the updated CPT standards and on the current challenges facing prison health systems across Europe. Participants also stressed the importance of international cooperation and exchange of experience in supporting prison health reforms and promoting the effective implementation of Council of Europe standards at national level.
Yaroslav Basarab, Director of the Health Care Center of the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine (CHS SCS) joined the high-level discussion and gave a presentation on “Modern approaches to health care and related services in the penitentiary system of Ukraine”. In his presentation, he focused on achievements in cooperation with the Council of Europe project “Towards more humane conditions of detention and reducing recidivism in Ukraine” (DECOPRIS), in particular.
- Increasing the capacity of medical personnel to properly record bodily injuries in accordance with the requirements of the Istanbul Protocol.
- Updating the material and technical base of healthcare institutions to ensure accurate and objective documentation of such cases.
- Introducing an electronic form for recording bodily injuries, integrated into the general electronic healthcare system of Ukraine.
- Prospects for further cooperation within the framework of the phased integration of penitentiary medicine into a single medical space by transferring the Central Health Center of the State Committee for the Prevention and Control of Prisons and Prosecutions from the Ministry of Justice to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine
The participation of Ukrainian representatives in the event was an important opportunity to present the current progress of reforms in the field of penitentiary medicine and exchange experience with the member states of the Council of Europe. The DECOPRIS project will continue to support the implementation of European standards in the field of health care in prisons, contributing to the strengthening of human rights protection and further approximation of the Ukrainian penitentiary system to European approaches and practices.
The Council of Europe project “Towards More Humane Conditions of Detention and Reduced Reoffending in Ukraine” (DECOPRIS) is implemented within the framework of the Council of Europe’s Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” (2023-2026). DECOPRIS aims to enhance the protection of prisoners’ rights by improving prison management practices and advancing rehabilitation efforts.
