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. To this end, the delegation examined the treatment and safeguards afforded to persons deprived of their liberty by the police and the military as well as the treatment and conditions of detention of persons in several prisons and at the Prison Hospital. Furthermore, it examined the situation of residents in social care homes (“internats”).
During the visit, the delegation met with Vahe Ghazaryan, Minister of Internal Affairs, and Arpine Sargsyan, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Narek Mkrtchyan, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, and Tatevik Stepanyan, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Levon Balyan and Karen Karapetyan, Deputy Ministers of Justice, and Armen Nazaryan, Deputy Minister of Health. 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:
- Therese Maria Rytter, 2nd Vice-President of the CPT (Head of delegation)
- Marius Caruana
- Anna Jonsson Cornell
- Alexander Minchev
- Gunda Wössner
- Victor Zaharia.
They were supported by Borys Wódz, Head of Division, and Dalia Žukauskienė of the CPT's Secretariat, and assisted by an expert, George Tugushi, lawyer and former Public Defender (Ombudsman) of Georgia.
The delegation visited the following establishments:
Police establishments
- Detention Centre of Yerevan City Police Department
- Ashtarak Police Division
- Gavar Police Division
- Gyumri Police Division
- Hrazdan Police Division
- Martuni Police Division
- Sevan Police Division
- Talin Police Division
- Vardenis Police Division
Penitentiary establishments
- Abovyan Prison
- Armavir Prison
- Artik Prison
- Central Prison Hospital
- Nubarashen Prison
Social care establishments
- Nork Social Care Home for persons with disabilities, Yerevan
- Vardenis Social Care Home for persons with psychiatric disorders and learning disabilities
Military establishments
- Disciplinary Isolator of Military Police, Martuni
- Disciplinary Isolator of Military Police, Yerevan
