A/HRC/45/CRP.8A/HRC/45/CRP.8 equipment, and the premises were not disinfected.38 On 17 June, she found COVID-19 prevention measures in the penitentiary were improving, and said the prevalence of COVID19 was lower than it could be.39 65. As of 31 July, 784 COVID-19 tests had been carried out in the penitentiary system 40, and as of 31 July, 57 COVID-19 cases had been detected (among 42 penitentiary staff, nine medical personnel, four prisoners, and two pre-trial detainees), of which 40 people had recovered and one had died. OHCHR notes that the actual number of COVID-19 cases may be underreported due to low rates of testing. OHCHR also remains concerned that due to quarantine restrictions, detainees in need of specialized medical treatment (not related to COVID-19) faced difficulties being transferred to medical facilities. 66. Without access to places of detention in territory controlled by self-proclaimed ‘republics’, OHCHR received only fragmented information on COVID-19 prevention measures and rates of compliance with such measures there. For example, in penal colony No. 97 in Makiivka and in Donetsk SIZO, staff did not wear masks. Also in Donetsk SIZO, cells and surfaces were not disinfected. In territory controlled by ‘Luhansk people’s republic’, visits and parcels were temporarily suspended in penal colonies, while in Luhansk SIZO, detainees could receive parcels and hold meetings in specially adapted rooms through a glass partition.41 V. Administration of justice and accountability “It all began with a simple administrative case… and then we found ourselves in the middle of all this.” A judge who refused to take a bribe, which led to her systematic persecution in Poltava and eventually to an attempt on her life. A. Fair trial rights 1. Administration of justice in conflict related cases 67. OHCHR monitored developments in conflict-related criminal cases. The infographic below provides an overview of the findings concerning the verdicts in these cases. 38 39 40 41 Facebook post by the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, 7 May 2020, available at www.facebook.com/denisovaombudsman/posts/3740181919387863. “Денісова заявила про поліпшення ситуації із COVID-19 у тюрмах” [Denisova said the situation with COVID-19 in prisons had improved], Ukrinform, 17 June 2020, available at www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-regions/3046620-denisova-zaavila-pro-polipsenna-situacii-iz-covid19-uturmah.html. According to the Ministry of Justice, as of 6 August 2020, 51,341 prisoners and detainees were held in penitentiary facilities (31,799 in 99 penal colonies, correctional centres and juvenile correctional facilities, and 19,542 in 30 pre-trial detention facilities). OHCHR interviews, 7 and 14 July 2020. 17