A/HRC/40/CRP.3 54. Transferred prisoners told OHCHR that there were more prisoners in territory controlled by ‘Donetsk people’s republic’ and ‘Luhansk people’s republic,’ who wanted to be transferred to government-controlled territory and maintain contacts with relatives living there.62 55. Recently transferred individuals from detention facilities in territory controlled by ‘Donetsk people's republic' and 'Luhansk people's republic', including from two female penal colonies, reported a deterioration of detention conditions and prisoner treatment after the outbreak of the armed conflict in 2014. In particular, they mentioned insufficient food supply and the lack of electricity: in 2014-2015 during power outages, lasting from a couple of hours to several months, prisoners had to burn furniture to heat their barracks. They said the situation had improved since 2016, however, ill-treatment by prison staff, the absence of adequate medical treatment, including specialised doctors, such as gynaecologists, and forced labour remain of concern. Prisoners also reported difficulties in maintaining contacts with relatives who live in government-controlled territory. 56. Pre-conflict prisoners were transferred from eight places of detention in territory controlled by 'Luhansk people's republic'. 63 Transferred prisoners said that their detention conditions worsened after the outbreak of the armed conflict. They described inadequate accommodation, such as leaking barrack roofs, low inside temperature during the cold season, and insufficient health care due to the lack of medical staff and medicines (particularly for prisoners living with HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis). In several instances, delays to deliver timely and adequate medical care led to an inmate’s death in custody. In some colonies, prisoners said they had gone “hungry” for several months in 2014 and lacked access to water and electricity. 57. Some of the transferred prisoners complained that in 2014-2015 members of armed groups entered penal colonies, beat prisoners and subjected them to mock executions. Prisoners also reported severe beatings by men in masks and by penal colony staff, who allegedly changed their uniforms and put masks on. The prisoners said it was done to intimidate and ‘discipline’ them, including when the prison administration was understaffed. In some instances, such beatings, allegedly, led to serious injuries requiring medical attention or prisoners’ deaths. Such visits by ‘masked men’ continued till mid2018, but reportedly stopped since then. 58. OHCHR received allegations of forced labour in most penal colonies in territory controlled by ‘Luhansk people’s republic’. In Sukhodilsk penal colony №36, prisoners said they had to work in two shifts from 6:30am to 9pm, often without days off on weekends and meagre or no compensation.64 Those, who did not want to work or who did not meet the work requirements, were beaten and put in the isolation ward. The ‘head’ of the colony personally beat prisoners in front of others to intimidate and make them work harder. 59. Individuals, transferred from five penal colonies in territory controlled by ‘Donetsk people’s republic,’ confirmed information OHCHR had received from other transferred prisoners about the lack of food, water, electricity, heating, hygiene items and medicine in 2014-2015.65 Some reported that the situation had gradually improved in Snizhne female penal colony №127, whereas the situation had remained difficult in male colonies despite minor improvements. Male prisoners alleged that in 2014-2015 a special unit from armed groups of ‘Donetsk people’s republic’ with insignia ‘ROSNAZ’66 entered Yenakiieve penal colony №52 on two occasions and severely beat some prisoners. Since 2016, the treatment of prisoners reportedly improved, however a number of issues remain unresolved, in particular, Michurinska penal colony №57 in Horlivka is still affected by shelling. 62 63 64 65 66 OHCHR interviews with pre-conflict prisoners, 18-20 December 2018. Some of the prisoners were also held in other detention facilities for various periods of time. The prisoners said they received 80-90 RUB a month, whereas a pack of tea cost 180 RUB. See OHCHR report on the human rights situation in Ukraine, 16 November 2017 - 15 February 2018. Meaning a “republican special unit”. 17