Official on progress in eliminating subculture in penal institutions  in Armenia

ArmInfo.  Over the past few years, significant progress has been made in eliminating the  subculture in the country's penal institutions. This was announced to  journalists on December 8 by Tsovinar Tadevosyan, Head of the Penal  Correctional Service Department of the RA Ministry of Justice.

According to her, this subculture, including the presence of  "overseers" over the prisons, has always existed. However, as a  result of measures taken by the penal institution management, the  prosecutor's office, and the Office of the Human Rights Defender,  significant results have been achieved. As Tadevosyan noted, the  problem has not yet been fully resolved, but all the preconditions  for its complete elimination are in place. All the phenomena inherent  in society are evident in penal institutions. Most importantly, she  noted, the management is aware of these phenomena and is actively  combating them. The head of the penitentiary institution raised, in  particular, the issue of the conflict that developed at the  Nubarashen Penitentiary, where staff members fought with each other.  Tadevosyan noted that an internal investigation has been launched,  and all the circumstances of the incident will be clarified.  Regarding the beating of life-sentenced prisoners by penitentiary  staff, Tadevosyan noted that a criminal case has been opened and is  being examined in the context of the proportionality of the use of  force.

Responding to a question about the health of Archbishop Mikael  Ajapakhian, which, according to some reports, has seriously  deteriorated, Tadevosyan noted that she cannot comment on matters  beyond her authority, especially in the context of medical  confidentiality. She emphasized that all detainees and arrested  persons, including the president of the Tashir Group of Companies,  Samvel Karapetyan, are being held in the same conditions as everyone  else. Tadevosyan noted that the Nubarashen penitentiary is the worst  in terms of conditions. For this reason, research is underway to  identify alternatives to this penitentiary. For example, the visiting  room and some other areas have been renovated, but the problem needs  to be addressed comprehensively.

Tadevosyan noted that 2,845 people are currently held in these  facilities. Overall, penitentiary facilities have the capacity to  accommodate 4,000 people.