On July 24, on the instructions of the Human Rights Defender, the representatives of the Torture and Ill-treatment Prevention Department (National Prevention Mechanism) of the Defender’s Office conducted an unannounced monitoring visit to the places of detention of detainees of the Masis and Artashat Departments of the RA Internal Affairs Police.

During the visit, the representatives of the Defender got acquainted with the conditions of detention of persons deprived of their liberty, the state of ensuring their rights and the established standards for their compliance.

Private interviews were held with a number of detained and arrested persons. Other important issues from the point of view of providing food, medical aid and service to the deprived persons, communication with the outside world, as well as protection of human rights were also studied.

Within the framework of monitoring, unannounced visits were also made to Artashat and Masis residences of the Court of First Instance of Ararat and Vayots Dzor marzes.

During the monitoring visit, the conditions, furnishings, sanitary and hygienic conditions of the temporary holding cells of persons deprived of liberty in the courts, the organization of providing food and legal assistance to persons deprived of liberty, as well as other issues related to the realization of their rights were studied.

The results of the unannounced visit will be summarized and the problems with proposals for appropriate solutions will be addressed to the competent authorities in order to more effectively protect the rights of persons deprived of their liberty.

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