1 / 1

In order to solve the problems of the penitentiary sector, the Government propose amendments to the RA Penitentiary Code and the Law on Treatment of Arrestees and Detainees.

The initiative was debated in the first reading at the sitting of the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs on April 21.

According to the RA Deputy Minister of Justice Arpine Sargsyan, it is the duty of the convict and the detainee not to cause harm to their own health. In case of self-harm or suicide attempts, the person violates the internal regulations, for which he/she can be hold responsible. Taking into account the standards of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and the various records of the Human Rights Defender, the rapporteur stated that the attitude towards a person who self-harmed should not be punitive. “Social-psychological support should be provided to a person to prevent self-harm and suicide attempts,” the Deputy Minister underlined. The initiative proposes to eliminate the legal possibility of applying punishment cell for self-harm as a disciplinary sanction.

It is also envisaged to exclude the disciplinary sanction of transferring juveniles to a punishment cell. “This does not mean that there will be a certain atmosphere of immunity, because there are two more disciplinary sanctions, reprimand and severe reprimand, which can be imposed on a person as needed,” Arpine Sargsyan recorded.

The next amendment is on the placement of persons sentenced to imprisonment, the regulations for keeping them separately are clarified.

In his co-report, the Committee Chair Vladimir Vardanyan has noted that any innovation in the system is difficult to accept, but it is necessary to follow the path of reforms. “This draft is very important, it is a part of general reforms implemented in 2018,” the deputy said.

According to the deputy Armen Khachatryan, the regulations are out of date. In his opinion, first of all, it is necessary to improve the living conditions in the penitentiaries and establish proper control over the observance of the existing rules.

The Deputy Minister, touching upon the deputies’ concerns, expressed readiness to discuss the colleagues’ proposals again in the first to the second readings.

The Committee approved the initiative.