Employees of the State Bureau of Investigation, together with the leadership of the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine, exposed the facts of systematic torture in the Poltava Penitentiary. As it turned out, there was a specially equipped room in the institution, which actually served as a torture chamber.
Two employees of the pre-trial detention center — the duty officer and the senior officer of the regime and security department — have already received a report of suspicion of torture under Part 3 of Article 127 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
According to the investigation, prisoners who refused to cooperate with the administration, complained or violated the rules were deliberately punished with cruel methods. A room was set up in the medical part of the institution where the victims were tied to a metal bed, deprived of food, water and access to the toilet for several days.
One of the victims has experienced at least ten such acts of violence over the past three years. A few days ago, SBI operatives recorded another act of torture. It was then that an investigation was opened and the perpetrators were charged with suspicion.
The issue of keeping the suspects in custody is currently being resolved. For serious crimes against humanity, they face up to 12 years in prison.
The investigation is ongoing. Human rights activists are calling for an immediate inspection of other institutions for similar violations, as the situation in Poltava may not be an isolated case.
