USE OF THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICE AS A MECHANISM FOR PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF CONVICTS

Abstract

The research paper discusses the use of the practice of the European Court of Human Rights as a mechanism for ensuring the rights of convicts. Today, the practice of the ECHR has become increasingly important not only in the fight against crime, but also in the protection of the rights and freedoms of convicts. This is evidenced by the adoption in 2014 of the Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to the Criminal Executive Code of Ukraine on the Adaptation of the Legal Status of a Convict to European Standards”, which is aimed at eliminating the shortcomings of the Criminal Executive Code of Ukraine in respect of compliance with constitutional requirements and European standards regarding the regime of serving the sentences by convicts and so on. Adoption of the said law entailed the implementation of various directions of ensuring the rights of convicts, which became the subject of this study. As part of the research, Article 1 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms is analyzed, which states that States – Parties to the Convention undertake to ensure that everyone under their jurisdiction has the rights and freedoms set forth in the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. In view of the above, we believe that ensuring of rights and freedoms should also apply to convicts. Today, the practice of the ECHR is actively used in national law enforcement practice in the aspect of ensuring the rights of convicts. Such a statement is based on the own analysis of relevant judgments. The study leads to the conclusion that there are different ways of ensuring the rights of convicts, in particular, ensuring the right to a fair trial, the prevention of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, etc. These directions of activity constitute a mechanism for ensuring the rights of convicts. In addition, we can say with certainty that convicts must be guaranteed all the rights enshrined in the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, which is possible taking into account the stay of persons in penitentiary institutions, in particular the right to life, prohibition of slavery and forced labour; freedom of thought, conscience and religion; freedom of expression; the right to an effective remedy; prohibition of discrimination, etc.