Strengthening the Protection of the Rights of Persons in Detention in Armenia

Building upon the results achieved from the implementation of the Project “Enhancing healthcare and human rights protection in prisons in Armenia”, the Project “Strengthening the Protection of the Rights of Persons in Detention” financed by Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023 – 2026 assists the Armenian authorities to further enhance penitentiary reform and prison health care, and the protection of the human rights of persons deprived of liberty. The Council of Europe is providing support at policy and operational levels assisting authorities to accomplish penitentiary reform goals and trigger changes in practices throughout the prison system especially after the adoption of the Criminal Code, Criminal Procedural Code as well as Penitentiary Code in June 2022.
The Project is implemented in close cooperation with the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Prison Medicine Centre, as well as other stakeholders including the civil society organisations.
The Project focuses on following priority areas:

Further enhancing the institutional capacity of the Prison Medicine Centre in order to provide quality health care in the penitentiary system;
Further consolidating the knowledge and skills of medical and non-medical staff on different topics on provision of health care;
Strengthening the capacities of prison staff to apply tools and rehabilitation programmes for persons deprived of liberty;
Harmonizing the regulatory framework on human rights with the new Penitentiary Code.

The key Conventions for this Project are the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR), as well as the findings and the recommendations of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).
The duration of the Project is set at 24 months, and it is expected to be completed by 31 December 2024, with an overall budget of 550 000 Euros.

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Back Joint trainings for psychologists and psychiatrists of Armenian penitentiary institutions

@ Council of Europe

In an effort to support Armenia in strengthening mental health care in penitentiary institutions, a series of specialised training sessions were organised on 25-26 and 29-30 August 2023. Over 20 psychologists and psychiatrists representing the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Health participated in the sessions, demonstrating a cooperative approach towards improving inmate well-being.

The training sessions were aimed at enhancing the skills of medical and non-medical staff working in diverse penitentiary environments in line with the curricula developed by Council of Europe consultants. The training materials offered insights based on best practices aligned with the relevant international standards. The interactive sessions facilitated discussions on effective mental health care strategies, therapeutic techniques, and inmate counselling methodologies.

This event is part of the Council of Europe’s support within the framework of the Project “Strengthening the right of persons in detention” that assists the national authorities to further enhance penitentiary reform, prison health care and the protection of human rights of persons deprived of liberty. The Project is financed within the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023-2026 and implemented by the Council of Europe.

Armenia 4 September 2023