News on the topic: penitentiary system
26.08.2015 “Prisoners in activity therapy centers should not be employed but dismissed”
Local executive authorities have received an obligation to assist the activity therapy centers (medical-labor dispensaries, popularly known as LTPs) in the employment of citizens, and open-type correctional institutions have been charged with the employment of prisoners. The decision is ordered by a resolution of the Council of Ministers of 14 August 2015, Interfax reports, citing the press service of the government.
20.08.2015 Poisoning with bleach: Torture or ‘violation of sanitary norms”?
The Investigative Committee of Belarus has quashed a decision not to institute criminal proceedings against employees of the Mahilioŭ-based penal colony No. 15, who tortured prisoner Piotr Kuchura with bleach during his confinement in the punishment cell. However, when notifying the convict, a representative of the Investigative Committee writes about a ‘violation of sanitary norms’.
19.08.2015 Ban on prisoners’ electoral rights groundless, say human rights defenders
As part of the campaign "Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections", lawyer Pavel Sapelka analyzes the issue of unjustified restriction of the right to participate in elections imposed on prisoners and people held in custody awaiting trial.
06.08.2015 Women in penal colonies: violation of labor and social rights
Andrew Coyle, the author of aids for prison staff "A Human Rights Approach to Prison Management", (International Centre for Prison Studies) argues that women constitute from 2% to 8% of the total number of prisoners in all penitentiary systems of the world.
04.08.2015 Leanid Kulakou complains about the conditions of detention in the detention center of Minsk district
Activist of "European Belarus" Leanid Kulakou is serving 7 days of administrative arrest for solidarity with political prisoner Yury Rubtsou.
04.08.2015 Yury Rubtsou: number of walks is reduced, the quality of food is poor
The political prisoner Yury Rubtsou told his wife, who visited him in prison in Baranavičy, that the number of walks was groundlessly restricted and the food served to the prisoners was of poor quality.
04.08.2015 Prisoners report a deterioration of prison conditions
Persons, convicted under Article 328 of the Criminal Code (trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances) through their relatives reported a significant deterioration in conditions in Belarusian prisons.
30.07.2015 Pavel Sapelka: The reasons why I was refused to visit places of detention are clearly outlined in my address to the Interior Ministry
Lawyer Pavel Sapelka has received a response to his request to the Department of Corrections of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The expert asked permission to visit penal facilities in order to monitor detention conditions.
28.07.2015 Mikalai Dziadok’s mother: “Two square meters – standard room per prisoner. It’s horrible!”
Almost a month has passed since political prisoner Mikalai Dziadok was confined in so called ‘cell-type premises’ (PKT) in penal colony No. 9 in Horki.
24.07.2015 Women in Prisons: Violations of Labor and Social Rights
Andrew Coyle, the author of a book entitled “A Human Rights Approach to Prison Management: Handbook for Prison Staff” (published by the International Centre for Prison Studies), argues that the rate of female prisoners in all prisons of the world varies between 2% and 8% of the total number of inmates. The situation of women prisoners is very different from that of men and so it should receive a separate analysis.
14.07.2015 Former arrestee describes conditions in arrest house in Baranavičy
Former prisoner Aliaksandr Bialchuk, owner of a large part-time farm in the village of Arlianka in Malaryta district, who was serving a 2 month arrest in the arrest house in Baranavičy, told about the conditions in this correctional facility.
08.07.2015 MIA can easily turn cereals into pasta, meat into fish and oil to fat
How are foodstuffs interchanged in the conditions of the penitentiary system and what do people have to eat there?
08.07.2015 What do administrative detainees pay for?
There is no clear and transparent information regarding the nutrition norms for persons serving an administrative arrest remains unclear.
08.07.2015 Detention facility in Smaliavichy: Disgusting food, bucket instead of toilet, dirty mattress
An activist of European Belarus civil campaign describes confinement conditions in a temporary detention facility in Smaliavichy.
06.07.2015 1,515 prisoners denied amnesty in Belarus
As of July 2, the Department of Corrections of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has considered the question of amnesty of 2,975 persons who are serving prison terms. 758 of them have been released, including 25 minors. Prison terms have been reduced by one year for 702 prisoners.
