“Pravova derzhava”. Issue 36 (2025), pages 787–794.
DOI: 10.33663/0869-2491-2025-36-787-794
Zavitnevych Roman
On the Problem of Implementing the Council of Europe’s Penitentiary Standards into the Criminal-Executive System of Ukraine
The article examines the Council of Europe’s role as a leading international organization in establishing high standards for treating persons deprived of their freedom. Attention is focused on the fact that these standards are most prominently reflected in the recommendations (formerly called resolutions) and guidelines of the Committee of Ministers to the Council of Europe’s Member States.
The Council of Europe has actively increased its instruments in the penitentiary field, through the conventions, the case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and standards of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).
An example of this approach was the adoption in 2006 of the European Prison Rules, which were largely based on the case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the standards of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).
It is stressed that the European Union Member States, being also members of the Council of Europe, are obliged to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and other standards developed by this international organization.
Despite the steps taken to implement the penitentiary reform, the prison system of Ukraine still has a number of problems. This is an outdated infrastructure, insufficient funding of services, lack of strategies for retaining prison staff, cases of ill-treatment of prisoners, insufficient level of interdisciplinary skills of prison staff to identify early signs of mental or medical problems of prisoners etc.
The penitentiary system of Ukraine is undergoing reform and departing from the Soviet-era stereotypes of prisoner treatment. The gradual implementation of penitentiary reform in our state in accordance with the Council of Europe standards will be a significant step on the path to Ukraine’s European integration.
Key words: European Union, Council of Europe, European standards, penitentiary standards, criminal-executive system, penitentiary system, penitentiary institution, deprivation of freedom, detention, prisoner.
References
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