Law-enforcement offenders to serve terms in renovated prison

LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFENDERS TO SERVE TERMS IN RENOVATED PRISON

ArmenPress
May 31 2004

YEREVAN, MAY 31, ARMENPRESS: Some 60 former employees of
law-enforcement bodies, serving prison terms for various offences
will move in July into a new correction facility, complying with
international standards.

The Vardashen prison located in Yerevan outskirts that will take
in the convicts is being now reconstructed as part of a program of
Armenian judiciary system reformation. The major repair, started in
2003 September is expected to be over in July 2004.

Varuzhan Melkonian, head of a justice ministry department, supervising
prison facilities, told Armenpress that the Vardashen prison is
going to be the first one in its kind correction facility in Armenia,
meeting all international requirements.

He said the facility will be of so-called “half–open” type meaning
that prison cells will have wooden doors instead of iron ones and
will be shut only for the night. It will also have a gymnasium and
will be furnished with new furniture. The new prison is expected to
accommodate some 150 inmates.