Demyanchuk T. Activities of civic organizations in the field of protection of prisoners and rehabilitated persons in the soviet period legal assessment of russian crimes in Ukraine

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33098/2078-6670.2024.17.29.39-50

Purpose. The purpose of the publication is to reveal the degree of involvement of public institutions in the protection of the rights of prisoners and rehabilitated persons in the Ukrainian SSR in the 1960s-1980s. Methods. The methodological basis of the research was a set of principles of historicism, objectivity, as well as general scientific, special scientific and philosophical methods. Results. It was established that in the conditions of the liberalization of social relations in the second half of the 1950s, the degree of involvement of public organizations in working with prisoners was fixed at the legislative level, but the norms of the criminal and correctional and labor codes contained significant contradictions, in particular, the Criminal Code of the Ukrainian SSR provided for the serving of a conditional sentence or early dismissal in the workforce of a separate enterprise, while the Correctional Labor Code only mentioned the possibility of involving labor unions in such work. Only after the creation of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group (later the Ukrainian Helsinki Union) and the “Memorial” society can we say that a real struggle for the rights of prisoners appeared. Legally, public organizations could not fundamentally influence the work of the criminal-executive system, but they showed its totalitarian and anti-human character, contributed to the collapse of this system and the USSR itself. Originality. Information is provided about the process of formation of public organizations in the Ukrainian SSR and the degree of their involvement in protecting the rights of persons who served sentences or were rehabilitated. Practical significance. The results of the research can be used for the preparation of lectures and special courses on the history of the state and law, popularization of the historical past, preservation of historical memory and condemnation of the actions of Soviet leaders.

Key words: rehabilitation, public organizations, “Memorial”, repression, totalitarianism, Soviet law, penal system.

References

1.   1989 – founding conference of the Ukrainian Historical and Educational Society «Memorial». Retrieved from: https://uinp.gov.ua/istorychnyy-kalendar/berezen/4/1989-ustanovcha-konferenciya-ukrayinskogo-istoryko-prosvitnyckogo-tovarystva-memorial (in Ukrainian)

2.   Adamovskyi, V.I. (2005). Krymskotatarske natsionalne pytannia v ukrainskomu ta rosiiskomu pravozakhysnomu rusi [The Crimean Tatar national issue in the Ukrainian and Russian human rights movement.]. Istoriia Ukrainy. Malovidomi imena, podii, 31, 200-208. (in Ukrainian)

3.   Bazhan, O.H. Ukrainska helsinska hrupa: lehalna forma protystoiannia totalitarnomu rezhymovi v URSR [The Ukrainian Helsinki group: a legal form of opposition to the totalitarian regime in the Ukrainian SSR]. Retrieved from: https://ekmair.ukma.edu.ua/server/api/core/bitstreams/0de75608-3096-4701-8744-7f3639a25dd3/content (in Ukrainian)

4.   Bekirova, H. (2008). Rol Petra Hryhorenka… [The role of Petro Grigorenko…]. Heneral Petro Hryhorenko : spohady, statti, materialy. K.: Smoloskyp, 103-104. (in Ukrainian)

5.   V.S., (1978). Za samostiinist – vsiudy i vse! [For independence – everywhere and everything!]. Homin Ukrainy. 19 kvitnia. (in Ukrainian)

6.   Hluzman, S. (2007). Pro shcho ne napysav samvydav [What the self-publisher did not write about]. Dzerkalo tyzhnia. 14 hrudnia. (in Ukrainian)

7.   Horyn, B. Prychyny i protses stvorennia Ukrainskoi helsinskoi spilky [The reasons and process of creation of the Ukrainian Helsinki Union]. Retrieved from: https://uinp.gov.ua/informaciyni-materialy/dopovidi/konferenciya-ugs/prychyny-i-proces-stvorennya-ugs (in Ukrainian)

8.  Hryhorenko, P. (1984). Spohady [Memoirs] / per. D. Kyslytsi. Detroit: Ukrainski visti. (in Ukrainian)

9.   Dolhoruchenko, K.O. (2017). Pravozakhysna diialnist Ukrainskoi Helsinskoi hrupy v umovakh radianskoho neototalitaryzmu [Human rights activities of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group in the conditions of Soviet neo-totalitarianism]. Zakhyst prav liudyny i osnovopolozhnykh svobod yak zhyttievo vazhlyva osnova vseokhopliuiuchoi bezpeky v Yevropi [Protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms as a vital basis for comprehensive security in Europe]: materialy Vseukr. nauk.-prakt. konf., prysviachenoi 25-richchiu Helsinskoho dokumenta 1992 roku «Vyklyk chasu peremin» (m. Dnipro, 7 hrudnia 2017 r.) ; uklad.: I.A. Serdiuk, L.M. Serdiuk (pp. 166-168). Dnipro: DDUVS. Retrieved from: https://er.dduvs.in.ua/bitstream/123456789/2455/1/20.pdf (in Ukrainian)

10. Regarding the trial of Pogruzhalskyi. Retrieved from: https://museum.khpg.org/1162802785 (in Ukrainian)

11. Zaitsev, Iu. (1996). Antyrezhymnyi rukh (1956–1991) [Anti-regime movement (1956–1991)]. Lviv: istorychni narysy upor. i peredm.: Ya. Isaievych, F. Steblii, M. Lytvyn. Lviv. (in Ukrainian)

12. Zakharov, B. Ukrainska Helsinkska Hrupa (UHH) [Ukrainian Helsinki Group (UGG)]. Retrieved from: https://museum.khpg.org/1160728419 (in Ukrainian)

13. Zakharov, B. Ukrainskyi natsionalnyi komitet (UNK) [Ukrainian National Committee (UNC)]. Retrieved from: https://museum.khpg.org/1116509799 (in Ukrainian)

14. Zubarev, D., Kuzovkin, H. (2008). Heneral, pravozakhysnyk, chlen-zasnovnyk Moskovskoi ta Ukrainskoi helsinskoi hrup [General, human rights defender, founding member of the Moscow and Ukrainian Helsinki groups]. Heneral Petro Hryhorenko: spohady, statti, materialy. K.: Smoloskyp. (in Ukrainian)

15. Kotliar, O., Bevziuk, Ye. (2022). Helsinski uhody: urok zahalnoievropeiskoho protsesu [The Helsinki Agreements: a lesson from the pan-European process]. Mizhnarodni zv’iazky Ukrainy: naukovi poshuky i znakhidky: mizhvid. zb. nauk. pr., 31, 301-321.  (in Ukrainian)

16. Lysiak-Rudnytskyi, I. (1994). Politychna dumka ukrainskykh pidradianskykh dysydentiv [Political opinion of Ukrainian sub-Soviet dissidents]. Istorychni ese. K.: «Osnovy». (Vol. 2). (in Ukrainian)

17. Mamchur, Ye. Istorychnyi vnesok UHH v zhyttia ukrainskoho narodu [The historical contribution of UGH to the life of the Ukrainian people]. Retrieved from: http://dspace.pnpu.edu.ua/bitstream/123456789/9096/1/Mamchur.pdf (in Ukrainian)

18. Memorial named after Vasyl Stus. Retrieved from: https://memorialstusa.com.ua/ (in Ukrainian)

19. Pavliuchenko, Yu.M. (2018). Istoryko-pravovi aspekty diialnosti Ukrainskoi Helsinskoi hrupy [Historical and legal aspects of the activities of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group]. Vasyl Stus: zhyttia, ideolohiia, tvorchist, sotsiopolitychnyi i literaturnyi kontekst: Materialy VI Mizhnarodnoi naukovo- praktychnoi konferentsii, prysviachenoi vshanuvanniu pam’iati vidomoho ukrainskoho poeta, perekladacha, literaturoznavtsia i pravozakhysnyka. Vinnytsia: DonNU imeni Vasylia Stusa (34-38). Retrieved from: https://journals.donnu.edu.ua/index.php/vsmk/article/view/5668 (in Ukrainian)

20.   Rudenko, R. (2008). Petro Hryhorenko mriiav buduvaty mosty… [Petro Grigorenko dreamed of building bridges…]. Heneral Petro Hryhorenko: spohady, statti, materialy. K.: Smoloskyp, 27-36. (in Ukrainian)

21.    Website of the Ukrainian Helsinki Union for Human Rights. Retrieved from: https://helsinki.org.ua/ (in Ukrainian)

22.   Zinkevych, O. (Comps.) (1983). Ukrainska Helsinkska Hrupa 1978-1982. Dokumenty i materiialy [Ukrainian Helsinki Group 1978-1982. Documents and materials]. Toronto-Baltymor: Ukrainske Vydavnytstvo «Smoloskyp» im. V. Symonenka. (in Ukrainian)

23.   The Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union expresses its sincere condolences to the family and relatives of L. H. Lukyanenko in connection with his sad loss. Retrieved from: https://www.helsinki.org.ua/articles/ukrajinska-helsinska-spilka-z-prav-lyudyny-vyslovlyuje-schyri-spivchuttya-rodyni-ta-blyzkym-l-h-luk-yanenka-u-zv-yazku-z-joho-sumnoyu-vtratoyu/ (in Ukrainian)

24.   Ovsiienko V. (Comps.) Ukrainska Hromadska Hrupa spryiannia vykonanniu Helsinskykh uhod [Ukrainian Public Group for Promoting the Implementation of the Helsinki Agreements]. Vol. 2: Dokumenty i materialy: 9 lystopada 1976 – 2 lypnia 1977. Kharkivska pravozakhysna hrupa. Retrieved from: https://library.khpg.org/files/docs/Part2.pdf. (in Ukrainian)

25.   Ukrainian Workers’ and Peasants’ Union (URSS, «The Case of Lawyers»). Retrieved from: https://museum.khpg.org/1162805489. (in Ukrainian)

26.   Stanislavskyi A. (Comps.) (1978). Ukrainskyi pravozakhysnyi rukh. Dokumenty y materialy Kyivskoi Ukrainskoi hromadskoi hrupy spryiannia vykonanniu helsinskykh uhod [Ukrainian human rights movement. Documents and materials of the Kyiv Ukrainian public group for promoting the implementation of the Helsinki Agreements]. Toronto-Altymor. (in Ukrainian)

27. Conference on security and co-operation in Europe. Final act. Helsinki 1975. 62 р. Retrieved from: https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/5/c/39501.pdf. (in Ukrainian)