ENSURING THE RIGHT TO RESPECT FOR THE PRIVATE LIFE OF PERSONS SENTENCED TO IMPRISONMENT AND PERSONS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY: THE SECRET OF CORRESPONDENCE

Eduard STOMATOV

STOMATOV E. (2023), ENSURING THE RIGHT TO RESPECT FOR THE PRIVATE LIFE OF PERSONS SENTENCED TO IMPRISONMENT AND PERSONS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY: THE SECRET OF CORRESPONDENCE; Scientific Bulletin of Dnipropetrovsk State University of Internal Affairs, № 2, 226-233

DOI: 10.31733/2078-3566-2023-2-226-233

 

ABSTRACT. The article is focused on the state of observance of the right to respect for private life in terms of secrecy of correspondence of persons, telegraphic conversations of persons sentenced to imprisonment and persons taken into custody based on the analysis of Ukrainian normative legal acts, standards of treatment of prisoners, ECHR case law and administrative practice of applying to court in connection with illegal actions of penitentiary institutions regarding violation of the secrecy of correspondence of such persons. The article provides examples of violations of the right to privacy of correspondence of this category of persons, in particular, with those addressees who are defined in the law as exceptional cases in which it is not allowed to review correspondence, and analyzes the relevant ECHR case law on the statement of violation by Ukraine of Article 8 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms regarding the review of correspondence of persons in custody, both during pre-trial custody and during the serving of a sentence under a court sentence.

The article clarifies the meaning of the «other relevant bodies of international organizations of which Ukraine is a member or participant» concept in the context of maintaining the secrecy of correspondence of persons serving sentences in correctional facilities and/or persons taken into custody with the relevant institutions and concludes that a literal interpretation of the «other relevant bodies of international organizations of which Ukraine is a member or participant» terminological construction allows speaking exclusively about the relevant bodies of international intergovernmental organizations. Accordingly, the regulations of the relevant provision do not apply to any international non-governmental organizations in the field of human rights protection, even those that have consultative status with relevant intergovernmental organizations.

Keywords: right to respect for private life, secrecy of correspondence, of telephone conversations, review of correspondence, court, defense counsel.

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