Ukraine

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CountryUkraine
Ministry responsible
Ministry of Justice
Prison administration
State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine
Contact address
04050 KYIV-50, 81 Melnykova Street, Ukraine
Telephone
+38 044 461 86-00
Fax
+38 044 461 86-00
Website
http://www.kvs.gov.ua
Email
inter@kvs.gov.ua
Head of prison administration (and title)
Grechanyuk Sergey Konstantinovich
Director
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
42 708
at 1.1.2023 (national prison administration - not including prisoners in Crimea and Sebastopol and areas of Donetsk and Luhansk that are not under the control of the Ukrainian authorities)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
116
based on an estimated national population of 36.76 million at beginning of January 2023 (from Eurostat figures, excluding the population of Crimea and Sebastopol and areas of Donetsk and Luhansk that are not under the control of the Ukrainian authorities)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
35.9%
(1.1.2023)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
5.3%
(1.1.2023)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)
0.2%
(1.1.2023 - excluding persons detained in pre-trial SIZO institutions)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)
2.1%
(1.1.2023)
Number of establishments / institutions
110
(2022 - 29 pre-trial institutions, 79 colonies for adults, 2 colonies for juveniles.)
Official capacity of prison system
88 897
(1.1.2023)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)
48.0%
(1.1.2023)
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
2000 218,800 443
2003 197,641 412
2005 188,465 400
2007 160,725 345
2009 145,946 318
2011 154,027 338
2013 147,112 324
2015 73,431 c 180
2017 60,621 c 149
2019 55,078 c 138
2021 49,823 c 126
2000 218,800 443
2003 197,641 412
2005 188,465 400
2007 160,725 345
2009 145,946 318
2011 154,027 338
2013 147,112 324
2015 73,431 c 180
2017 60,621 c 149
2019 55,078 c 138
2021 49,823 c 126

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Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the recent trend in the pre-trial/remand prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day.  

The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population. 

                                                    UKRAINE

Year

Number in
pre-trial/remand
imprisonment

Percentage
of total
prison population

Pre-trial/remand
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2000
2005
2010
2013
2015*
2020*

44,700
38,768
38,030
30,854
16,035
18,919

20.4%
20.6%
25.7%
21.0%
21.8%
36.0%

90
82
83
68
c. 44
c. 53

2023*

15,345

35.9%

42

* The figures for 2015, 2020 and 2023 do not include prisoners in Crimea and Sebastopol and areas of Donetsk and Luhansk that are not under the control of the Ukrainian authorities.

It should be noted that the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners fluctuates from day to day, month to month and year to year. Consequently the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.                                                      

The pre-trial/remand population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities. 

Female prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the trend in the female prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of female prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that female prisoners constituted on that day. 

The final column shows the female prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population.

                                                    UKRAINE

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

Female prison
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2002
2006
2010
2013
2015*
2020*

11,727
10,085
9,139
7,977
2,753
1,404

5.9%
6.1%
6.0%
6.2%
4.8%
4.4%

24.4
21.6
20.0
17.6
7.5
4.0

2023*

2,266

5.3%

6.2

* The 2015, 2020 and 2023 figures are only the totals of convicted adult females in prison colonies and they do not include those in Crimea and Sebastopol and areas of Donetsk and Luhansk that are not under the control of the Ukrainian authorities.

The number of female prisoners fluctuates and so the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.  

The female prison population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.

(If the rate were calculated on the basis of the number of females in the national population it would of course be approximately double the figure in the final column.)

Prison population total
Prison population rate