ARMENIAN JUSTICE MINISTER: PENITENTIARY INSTITUTIONS FACE A HOST OF CHALLENGES
Panorama.am
13:32 20/11/2012
Positive changes were revealed in penitentiary institutions during
visits, but there are also many shortcomings in this system, which the
Justice Minister will also admit, chair of NA Standing Committee on
Protection of Human Rights Elinar Vardanyan stated at the beginning of
parliamentary hearings on the condition of human rights in penitentiary
institutions and places of detention.
According to Armenian Justice Minister Hrayr Tovmasyan, penitentiary
institutions face a host of challenges, they bear the negative imprint
of Soviet penal system, and he said it as early as several years ago
when he assumed the position of Justice Minister. Mr Tovmasyan said
that he is well aware of the situation, problems and shortcomings,
but stressed that “I am not going to offer superficial solutions,
I stand for long-range solution of problems existing in this field.”
No murder has been recorded in Armenian penitentiary institutions over
the past 3-4 years, noted the Minister. Yes, inmates are unhappy with
the prison conditions and the prison administration’s attitude.
However, no penitentiary institution in the world is free of these
problems, said Mr Tovmasyan, adding that they work normally, the
evidence of which is that this year alone, 2607 cutting and stabbing
instruments were seized from inmates.
“We have 13 penitentiary institutions where about 5,000 inmates are
held. Each inmate costs an average of about $3,000 a year, which is
allocated from the state budget,” said the Minister.
One of our urgent problems, overloading of penitentiary institutions,
will be solved partially next September by the construction of
Armavir penitentiary institution designed to hold 400 inmates, noted
Mr Tovmasyan.
Among the problems is also cadre training, in particular the lack of
penitentiary doctors, he concluded.
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From: A. Papazian