GROUP OF OMBUDSMAN’S STAFF VISITS VARDASHEN PENITENTIARY

Noyan Tapan

Ju ne 20, 2008

YEREVAN, JUNE 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The group on restoration of criminal
legal and servicemen rights of the RA Ombudsman’s Staff on June 19
visited "Vardashen" penitentiary of the RA ministry of justice where
the group met with the deputy head of the penitentiary, Colonel
S. Petrosian. According to a press release of the RA ombudsman’s
office, S. Petrosian informed the group members that as of June 19,
5 persons were on hunger strike and that all of them were told about
harmful consequences of a hunger strike and were warned that the
penitentiary administration does not bear responsibility for the
consequences.

Accompanied by the deputy head of the penitentiary, the group members
met with those on hunger strike who told them that they demand that
arrest as precautionary measure with respect to them be changed and
the requirements of PACE resolution 1609 be fulfilled. The prisonsers
on hunger strike said that they are under the supervision of doctors
and receive medical aid in case of necessity. According to them,
a psychologist regularly visits them.

One of the prisoners said that he has been in prison since December
10, 2006, noting that he was convicted under the RA Crminal Code’s
Article 301 – public calls to usurp state power, which, in his
words, contradicts Aricle 27 of the RA Constitution. Based on an
application-complaint, the employees of the Ombudsman’s staff also
met with prisoner S.S, who was arrested in Georgia on March 8, the
following day at 9 pm he was moved to Yerevan where was charged under
Article 225 Part 2 of the RA CC – immediate participation in mass
disorder, later the charge was replaced with the charge envisaged
by Part 1 of the same article – organization of mass disorder. The
accused said that no investigation action has been taken so far: he
met only once with an investigator in May, after which no judicial
action has been taken. He claimed that the charge against him is
illegal, and he does not consider himself guilty. The prisoners did
not express discontent with the administration and conditions of
Vardashen penitentiary.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress