MINISTRY OF JUSTICE REFUTES

Lragir
Oct 31 2007
Armenia

The Committee of Support for Jirair Sefilyan and Vardan Malkhasyan
released information that the ministry of justice had searched the
prison of Vardashen where Jirair Sefilyan and Vardan Malkhasyan are
serving their sentence.

The press secretary of the department of penitentiaries of the Ministry
of Justice refuted the information released by the Committee. Namely,
the press secretary’s release runs that on October 29 the department
of penitentiaries searched all the inmates of Vardashen prison,
and only the staff of the penitentiary was involved. "The action
was not extraordinary and individual. It is held on a general basis
in accordance with Article 72 of the Penal Code of the Republic
of Armenia."

According to the press secretary of the department of penitentiaries
of the ministry of justice, civilian clothes were found with Jirair
Sefilyan and Vardan Malkhasyan which is prohibited by the regulations
of penitentiaries affirmed by 1543 N decision of the government passed
on August 3, 2006.

The press secretary also informs that the department of penitentiaries
did not administer any disciplinary punishments except explanatory
work. Besides, V. Yeghiazaryan did not announce that the five inmates
sharing the cell with the two abovementioned people were to get
a warning.