Exhibition “Chronicle of the Penitentiary System of Ukraine” opened in Kyiv with the support of Strategic Advocacy and Volunteer Battalion CF

A unique historical and contemporary project, the interactive exhibition Chronicle of the Penitentiary System of Ukraine, was opened in Kyiv. The exposition was created through the joint efforts of the State Criminal Execution Service of Ukraine, the Advisory Expert Council under the SPS, the Volunteer Battalion Charitable Foundation, and the Strategic Advocacy Law Firm.

The presentation was attended by Bohdan Khmelnytsky, a lawyer and founder of Strategic Advocacy, a member of the Advisory Expert Council of the SPS of Ukraine. It is thanks to the initiative and support of these organizations that the project was implemented in a short time and in compliance with high standards.

“This exhibition is not just about the past. It is about our responsibility today. We cannot allow our history to be destroyed or rewritten. Therefore, we must not only remember, but also reform the system so that it meets modern standards and at the same time preserves Ukrainian identity,” Bohdan Khmelnytsky said in his speech.

The exhibition tells the story of the formation of Ukraine’s penitentiary system – from the Hetmanate to the current stage of reform focused on human rights, probation and reintegration into society. The central exhibit is a copy of Hetman Pavlo Skoropadskyi’s decree of July 15, 1918, which established the body responsible for the execution of criminal sentences.

The project was presented by Roman Bochkala, Head of the Advisory and Expert Council at the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine. A welcoming speech was delivered by Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine

The exhibition tells the story of the formation of Ukraine’s penitentiary system – from the Hetmanate era to the current stage of reform focused on human rights, probation, and reintegration into society. The central exhibit is a copy of Hetman Pavlo Skoropadskyi’s decree of July 15, 1918, which established the body responsible for the execution of criminal sentences.

The project was presented by Roman Bochkala, Head of the Advisory and Expert Council at the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine. Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine Yevhen Pikalov delivered a welcoming speech, emphasizing the importance of restoring the authority of the service.

The event was also attended by:

– Yevhen Gorobets, Head of the Department for the Execution of Criminal Sentences;

– Oleg Yanchuk, Director of the State Institution “Probation Center”;

– Dmytro Andreyev, representative of the State Criminal Enforcement Service of Ukraine;

– Representatives of the Ministry of Justice, the expert community, and civil society organizations.

The interactive exhibition was another step towards the transformation of the Ukrainian penitentiary system from a punitive to a humanistic model focused on human dignity and the rule of law.