According to latest reports, approximately 5000 prisoners in the Donetsk region will be
released within the next three months. The Donetsk region courts are in the process of
examining more than 10,000 applications for amnesty, which include 4,700 prisoners and
around 6,000 convicted persons carrying out their sentences without imprisonment. A number
of persons whose cases are currently under investigation may also be released. In
addition, a large category of prisoners will have the remaining part of their sentences
reduced.
On 1 June 1998, 26,600 prisoners were held in the 15 prison colonies of the Donetsk region, which have a
capacity for 20,200 prisoners. 5,300 prisoners were detained in the three SIZOs (pre-trial detention
centres), which have a capacity for 3,700. The total number of prisoners in the Donetsk
region, including prisoners held in other places of detention, is currently 32,365. A year
ago this figure was 32,531. 4,205 prisoners were released in an amnesty last year, a
further 3,399 were conditionally released before the completion of their sentences. The
current amnesty, as with the previous one, cannot solve the problem of overcrowding in the
prisons of Donetsk region. However, it is a welcome step to prevent the growth in the
prisoner population, in the short-term.
Source: Article by Alexander Bukalov, Member of the
Council of Journalists of Donetsk.
