TORTURE AND ILL-TREATMENT OF CHILDREN IN UKRAINE

Torture and ill-treatment of children in Ukrainebelieve that such cases are widespread but not the pattern. Problems at thetransfer are encountered by those who “weren’t lucky”.• Period in a collective colonyThere were 8 in the given group and they assess their experiencesomewhat differently than those released from the group in the colonies.As could be predicted, they more openly speak about their relations withthe Administration and others in the colony. Despite equality proclaimed,within the large group of people in the colony and promoted by the Administration,a formal structure of activists is created, while in parallel tothis there is an informal structure. In any social group these structures onlypartially coincide and groups of prisoners cannot be the exception to thegeneral rule.Selective cooperation by the Administration with activists in the penalinstitutions is probably necessary however one encounters cases where activistsare given unjustified position and given clearly more rights and privilegesthan the others. A demonstration by activists with status of their power overthe others is rather encouraged, than stopped by the Administration. Most oftenpowers with respect to control over other inmates are given to those whoare older, and who at the same time have the longest sentences and moreexperience of places of confinement.The principle “Divide and rule” leads to an unhealthy psychological atmospherein the group, repeated tormenting of individual prisoners. Although theAdministration tries to lighten its workload, the personnel in that way losetheir monopoly on force, the situation can get more complicated, get out ofcontrol, even up to a revolt in the colony.In addition cases are mentioned of being coerced into joining a groupwhere instead of encouragement, threats and psychological pressure fromthe Administration are applied. This particularly applies to carrying out functionswhich don’t’ envisage direct benefit, where instead of an increase insocial status, activism can lead to its reduction, the informal transfer of theprisoner into the group of “kozli”.Prisoners are not provided with sufficient work. Work “in general” is mostoften found, rather than according to individual inclinations, this making itpossible to earn money for a minimum of food and personal hygiene items.One of the respondents who had been released gave a detailed account of146