Legal Regulation of Chaplain Activities in the Penitentiary Sphere of Ukraine

Oleksandr Bilash; Tetyana Karabin; Nataliya Shelever

doi:10.18290/kip2026.7

Published : 2026-06-29

Vol. 15 No. 1 (2026)

Legal Regulation of Chaplain Activities in the Penitentiary Sphere of Ukraine

Oleksandr Bilash

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1248-7798

Tetyana Karabin

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6538-5269

Nataliya Shelever

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3641-4910

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18290/kip2026.7

Abstract

The article examines the legal regulation and current state of development of the institution of prison chaplaincy in Ukraine in the context of European integration processes. The emphasis is on the significance of the Roadmaps approved in 2025 as strategic documents that determine the reform of the rule of law and the provision of fundamental human rights. The importance of guaranteeing freedom of conscience and religion for prisoners and convicts as a component of the democratic development of the state is substantiated. The historical prerequisites for the formation of the institution of prison chaplaincy, starting from the 1990s, as well as its institutionalisation in the 21st century, are analysed. The role of religious organisations in the formation of systemic pastoral care and their cooperation with state bodies is highlighted.

Keywords:

rights of prisoners, penal system, probation, penitentiary chaplain

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Bilash, O., Karabin, T., & Shelever, N. (2026). Legal Regulation of Chaplain Activities in the Penitentiary Sphere of Ukraine. Kościół I Prawo, 15(1), 101–118. https://doi.org/10.18290/kip2026.7

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