The main objective of the visit was to review the measures taken by the Armenian authorities in response to the recommendations made by the Committee after previous visits. In this connection, particular attention was paid to the safeguards against ill-treatment of persons in police custody and the material conditions, regime and health care service in prisons. The delegation also examined the treatment, conditions and legal safeguards offered to psychiatric patients and residents of social care institutions.
In the course of the visit, the delegation met Rustam Badasyan, Minister of Justice, Arsen Torosyan, Minister of Health, Zaruhi Batoyan, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Anahit Avanesyan, Deputy Minister of Health, and Janna Andreasyan and Gemafin Gasparyan, Deputy Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs. It also held consultations with Arman Sargsyan, Acting Head of Police of the Republic of Armenia, and other senior officials from the Special Investigative Service and the Prosecutor General’s Office. In addition, talks were held with the NPM team of the Human Rights Defender’s Office. The delegation also met representatives of non-governmental organisations active in areas of concern to the CPT.
At the end of the visit, the delegation presented the Armenian authorities with its preliminary observations.
The visit was carried out by the following members of the CPT:
- Marzena Ksel, Head of delegation
- Alexander Minchev
- Costakis Paraskeva
- Razvan Horaţiu Radu
- Tinatin Uplisashvili
- Marika Väli.
They were supported by Borys Wódz, Head of Division, and Dalia Žukauskienė of the CPT's Secretariat, and assisted by Clive Meux, forensic psychiatrist, Oxford, United Kingdom (expert).
The delegation visited the following establishments:
Police establishments
- Detention Centre of Yerevan City Police Department
- Kotayq Police Division, Abovyan
- Armavir Police Division
- Artashat Police Division
- Goris Police Division
- Hrazdan Police Division
- Kapan Police Division*
- Sevan Police Division
- Nairi Police Division, Yeghvard
Penitentiary establishments
- Armavir Prison
- Central Prison Hospital
- Goris Prison
- Hrazdan Prison
- Nubarashen Prison
- Sevan Prison
- Yerevan-Kentron Prison
Psychiatric establishments
- Armash Health Centre
- National Centre for Mental Health Care (Forensic Psychiatric Unit)
- Syunik Psychiatric-Neurological Dispensary
Social care establishments
- Dzorak Social Care Centre for People with Mental Disorders.
* due to renovation there were no detainees at the time of the visit.
