Deadly Russian strike on Bilenkivska colony: ombudsman sent appeal to prime minister demanding relocation of institutions

Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, in response to the strike on the Bilenkivska correctional colony, which resulted in 16 deaths and about 50 injuries, appealed to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice with a number of demands. In particular, Lubinets asks to take urgent measures for the relocation of institutions, to conduct an official investigation, etc. Lubinets wrote about this on Telegram, as reported by UNN.

At night, Russia shelled the Bilenkivska correctional colony No. 99 — 16 people died, about 50 were injured. The dining room, two dormitories, and other premises were destroyed. Once again, the aggressor country killed Ukrainian civilians. Once again, it committed a war crime. However, in this situation, the irresponsible attitude of the executive branch towards the safety of people held in places of detention close to combat zones is also outrageous. The colony shelled by the Russian Federation is located only 20 kilometers from the contact line. And earlier, as the Ombudsman of Ukraine, I repeatedly appealed to the central executive bodies, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, to organize the evacuation of people from places of detention 

He noted that recommendations for the evacuation of people from places of detention had already been developed.

Moreover, just two months ago, my representative for human rights in places of detention, Vitaliy Nikulin, raised this issue at a separate meeting with the leadership of the Ministry of Justice: Deputy Minister of Justice Yevhen Pikalov and Head of the Department for the Execution of Criminal Sentences Yevhen Horobets. In particular, regarding the evacuation of this very place of detention. And what is the result? Ministry employees took the information into account, organized meetings at the local level, but timely effective measures for the relocation of the institution or the evacuation of people, as we see, were not taken 

According to him, he sent letters to the Ministry of Justice with a demand to take urgent measures for the relocation of institutions (evacuation of detainees); to conduct an official investigation, the results of which should lead to holding the perpetrators accountable; to assess the previous actions of relevant officials.

In addition, Lubinets sent a letter to the Prime Minister with a demand to adjust the provisions of regulatory legal acts regarding the evacuation of people from places of detention.

The changes should provide for an assessment of the safety of prisoners in places of detention, as well as the establishment of a safe distance from the combat zone. The list of bodies that make decisions on the evacuation of detainees also needs to be expanded 

Recall

Russian troops launched an air strike on the Bilenkivska correctional colony, the number of dead as a result of the strike increased to 17 among convicts, another 42 were injured.

Later, the Ministry of Justice clarified that as a result of the Russian air strike on the colony, 16 convicts died and 44 were injured.