A convicted person with suspected cancer, who had not received proper care for a long time, died in a correctional colony in the Kyiv region. Despair due to pain led to a suicide attempt, and subsequently the convicted person died - two days before the commission meeting on his release due to health reasons. This was reported by the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets, who added that a pre-trial investigation is currently underway to establish the degree of responsibility of officials, UNN reports.
Details
According to Lubinets, the story of the convicted person, recorded by the Ombudsman's Office staff during the performance of NPM functions, is a chain of events that requires careful legal assessment.
Since October 2025, the man had suspected cancer, but, according to available information, he did not receive proper care for three months. Despair due to pain led to a suicide attempt, and in January 2026, the convicted person died - just two days before the commission meeting on his release due to health reasons.
Lubinets emphasized that according to Article 27 of the Constitution of Ukraine and Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the state has an obligation to guarantee the right to everyone, regardless of their status. Any delay in providing medical care in such conditions requires a thorough review for compliance with human rights standards.
That is why, at the initiative of my Representative for Human Rights in Places of Detention, Vitaliy Nikulin, criminal proceedings have been initiated under Articles 120 and 140 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. A pre-trial investigation is currently underway to establish the degree of responsibility of officials.