Justice Minister Maliuska: More than 1,500 life-sentenced prisoners in Ukraine

"We have even more than 1,500 life-sentenced prisoners in Ukraine. The maintenance of each of them costs at least UAH 10,000 a month. We provide them with food, protection and accommodation. I understand that all this is of poor quality, but nonetheless. Funding is provided and resources are spent. And this happens not for 10 years, not for 20 years, but until a person dies. Accordingly, their [life-sentenced prisoners’] number is constantly increasing," Minister of Justice of Ukraine Denys Maliuska said in an interview with Radio Liberty, Ukrinform reports.

The minister expressed the conviction that those serving life sentences must be engaged in labour activity.

August 6, the Ministry of Justice announced the start of a major sale of penitentiary system’s real estate, namely of pretrial detention facilities and correctional facilities.

ol