PUBLICAI Index: EUR 50/05/98

UA 75/98 Fear of Torture or Ill-treatment10 March 1998

UKRAINESergey Mikhailovich Voronok, a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of Crimea

Aleksandr Vitalyvich Kovalenko, a deputy of the Yalta City Council

There is serious concern for the safety of Sergey Mikhailovich Voronok and Aleksandr Vitalyvich Kovalenko, believed to have been arrested on 10 February 1998. The two men are in incommunicado detention and, according to unofficial sources, have reportedly been ill-treated and tortured.

It is not known who is responsible for the arrests or the whereabouts of the two men, despite attempts by their families to obtain further information.

A broadcast by Ukrainian television has reportedly stated that Sergey Voronok had died in detention. Ukrainian officials in Simferopol, however, reportedly claimed both men are alive and being held in a place of detention outside Crimea.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Amnesty International has received numerous reports of torture and ill-

treatment of criminal suspects in police custody and in prisons throughout Ukraine. In April 1997 the organization submitted a report concerning this issue to the United Nations Committee against Torture. On 29 April the Committee reviewed Ukraine’s Third Periodic Report on its commitments under the Convention against Torture and recommended, among other things, that Ukraine adopt a comprehensive action plan to stop torture.

Article 12 of the Convention against Torture, to which Ukraine is a party stipulates that "Each State Party shall ensure that its competent authorities proceed to a prompt and impartial investigation, wherever there is reasonable ground to believe that an act of torture has been committed in any territory under its jurisdiction".

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/faxes/express/airmail letters in Ukrainian, Russian, English or your own language:

- urging that the whereabouts of Sergey Voronok and Aleksandr Kovalenko be immediately established and made known to their families, and that they be given immediate access to their families and to defence lawyers;

- urging that any criminal charges against them are made public;

- urging that they be protected from any form of ill-treatment;

- calling for a full and comprehensive inquiry into the allegations of their torture and ill-treatment, for the findings to be made public and for anyone found responsible to be brought to justice in accordance with the norms of international law.

APPEALS TO:

Procurator General of Ukraine, Oleh LYTVAK

Ukraina

252601 g. Kiev II

ul. Reznitskaya, 13/15

Prokuratura Ukrainy

Generalnomu prokuroru, LYTVAKU O.

UKRAINE

Telegrams:Prokuratura, kiev, Ukraine

Faxes:+ 380 44 290 26 03

Salutation: Dear Procurator General

Minister of Internal Affairs, Yury KRAVCHENKO

Ukraina

25204 g. Kiev

ul, Bogomoltsa, 10

Ministerstvo vnutrennikh del Ukrainy

Ministru Kravchenko Yu.F

UKRAINE

Telegrams:Ministru vnutrennikh del, Kiev, Ukraine

Faxes:+ 380 44 291 17 33

Salutation:Dear Minister

COPIES TO:

Procurator of Simferopol

Ukraina

g. Simferopol

Gorodskaya Prokuratora

Prokuroru

UKRAINE

Procurator of Yalta

Ukraina

g. Yalta

Gorodskaya Prokuratora

Prokuroru

UKRAINE

Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Hennady UDOVENKO

Ukraina

252501 g. Kiev 24

ul. Karla Liebknecht 15/1

Ministerstvo inostrannykh del Ukrainy

Ministru UDOVENKO H.Y

UKRAINE

and to diplomatic representatives of UKRAINE accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 21 April 1998.