INHUMAN CONDITIONS IN PRISONS

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[04:32 pm] 12 February, 2007

Prisoners are kept in the Vanadzor Criminal penitentiary institution
in inhuman conditions. There is no normal heating, and food is barely
enough not to starve.

During the last six months the representatives of non-governmental
observers mission have visited Criminal penitentiary institutions and
prisons in the northern part of the country in order to investigate
the conditions there.

The results are not comforting.

Investigation of the personal journals of prisoners showed that they
are often subjected to physical violence the results of which are
often attributed to chance. Let us remind you that as member of the
European Convention on tortures, our country has to investigate each
case which it does not do.

As a result of the investigations, the Tashir police isolator has
been closed and is currently under construction. The building was not
heated and the cells did not have proper electricity. According to the
head of the Vanadzor office of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Arthur
Sakunts, there are prisons were the cells do not even have windows.

Another problem is that of food. According to the Government decision,
the prisoners are to be given not only bread, but also fish and meat
on a daily basis. Nevertheless, each prisoner is allotted 450AMD a
day which is not enough for proper feeding.