Employees of the Bozhkov Correctional Colony No. 16 in Poltava region tortured and killed inmates serving their sentences there. This was reported by the press service of the State Bureau of Investigations on Sunday, February 2.
According to the investigation, in the spring of 2024, law enforcement discovered numerous instances of torture against inmates in correctional facilities. Among other things, it involved the abuse of prisoners at the Bozhkov colony.
“Investigators managed to establish not only the facts of abuse and beatings but also the actual murder of inmates, when the brutality of the torture resulted in their deaths. The death of one inmate from inflicted bodily injuries has been documented,” – stated the SBI.
The investigation found that nearly all victims were newcomers to the facility. New arrivals were threatened and beaten until their will was broken, forcing them to comply unconditionally with all the directives from the administration.
Each sentenced individual arriving at the colony was compelled to clean the floors – this was recorded on video. In case of refusal, they were subjected to torture: beaten with hands, feet, rubber batons, or sticks, and had their arms twisted, among other abuses. One inmate was struck over 200 times by the correctional staff.
Five employees of the Bozhkov Correctional Colony have been charged with forming an organized group (part 3 of Article 28 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and torture (part 2 of Article 127 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The actions of the group's leader have been additionally classified as intentional grievous bodily harm (part 2 of Article 121 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The sanction of the article provides for imprisonment for up to 10 years.