"Penitentiary system of RA Ministry of Justice in 2008" report (Armenian, pdf, 5 Mb)

Extract from the 2008 Annual Report in English (pdf, 200 Kb)

Today presentation of the report on "Penitentiary system of RA Ministry of Justice in 2008" took place at "Congress" hotel. It was quite crowded. It is obvious that penitentiary institutions and problems of the prisoners are at centre of the public attention.  Both representatives of media and non-governmental organizations and international organizations and civil society representatives were present during the event.

Arman Danielyan, head of the public group of observers conducting monitoring of penitentiary institutions presented the total image of the penitentiary institutions of Armenia prioritizing a number of problems. First and foremost issue in Armenia today is overpopulation of the penitentiary institutions. The number of the detainees is increasing by 60 people.

"Number one problem is overpopulated Nubarashen. Here the situation is worse than in other places. There are cells where more people are kept than is intended and people have a sleep in order. Only in Nubarashen there are 350 more prisoners".

Arman Danielyan points out another important problem as a factor contributing to overpopulation.  That is the issue of releasing prisoners on parole.

"Today this issue needs a clear regulation. The prisoner himself does not know how to behave himself to be released on parole".

According to Danielyan there are independent committees on releasing on parole, but as a result of their operation the number of released prisoners has decreased 10 times. The committees make their decisions subjectively, without basis and a person as a result does not understand the real reasons for the denial. The best example illustrating this fact is "Zhamanak" newspaper editor Arman Babajanyan's case, who has regularly applied to the committees and has been refused".

Danielyan does not share the opinion that most of the prisoners were released on the basis of amnesty.

In 2008 report on penitentiary system there is a note about rights of the people kept in penitentiary institutions, ill-treatment towards the prisoners, sanitary-hygienic conditions, food, medical service, right to communication.

Public monitoring group has made more than 350 recommendations to improve the situation directed both at the whole system and the solution of the problems of certain institutions. According to the presented report newly-constructed penitentiary institutions of Vanadzor, Artik, Vardashen are in a comparatively good condition.

But Vardges Gasparin, representative of Armenian National Congress, and prior prisoner of March 1 cases expressed his observations that only 5% of the problems existing in the penitentiary institutions are included in the report. Vardges Gasparin who expressed his willingness to be included in the public group of observers conducting monitoring of penitentiary institutions drew attention of the participants to his observations made when he was in the penitentiary institution.

Deputy Minister of Justice Nikolay Arustamyan evaluated cooperation of the Ministry and the Public monitoring group as efficient.  He also responded to the criticism partially accepting them. Penitentiary system of Armenia is in the stage of reforms, during which transformation from soviet system to the system accepted in the international practice is planned.

"The more criticism, the more transparent the system is", said a member of the public monitoring group, president of Helsinki Committee of Armenia, Avetik Ishkhanyan.

Zhanna Aleksanyan