Issue of basic human rights of prisoners remains unresolved in  Armenia

ArmInfo. Despite all the statements, issues of basic human rights in penitentiary institutions (PIs) in Armenia remain pressing.

Monitoring visits, discussions, and statements by relevant agencies  are unable to "silence" reports of serious problems in places of  detention, which continue to leak into the public domain. This again  raises questions about how effectively measures to address identified  violations are being implemented, and what systemic changes are  taking place in the penitentiary system.

It is noteworthy that, a few days earlier, representatives of the  Office of the Human Rights Defender (OHRD) took part in a working  meeting organized at the initiative of the Ombudsman at the  Penitentiary Service. The focus was on the problems identified during  monitoring visits to the Abovyan and Artik correctional facilities,  as well as potential solutions. However, even after this, the  question remains as to the extent to which these discussions lead to  practical changes, and why many issues only become the subject of  widespread public debate after they have been publicly disclosed.

As a reminder, back in March 2026, Hovhannes Ghukasyan, Deputy Head  of the Department for the Prevention of Torture and Cruel Treatment  at the Office of the Human Rights Defender, reported that 24 cases of  suicide had been registered in Armenian penal institutions in 2025.  He noted that this was the highest figure in the past 15 years. He  stated that the number of such cases was at least double the previous  year's figure, which, according to the Ombudsman's Office  representative, indicates deficiencies on the part of competent  authorities in identifying the causes of suicides and the factors  that contribute to these grave statistics.

These issues have repeatedly become the subject of discussion among  human rights activists, public figures, and political figures. One  such case was the death of a prisoner in February 2026, reported by  journalist Roza Vardanyan. According to her, the man repeatedly  appealed to the Prison Monitoring Group, which sent corresponding  requests to the Armenian Minister of Health. "The prisoner resorted  to extreme measures several times: he went on hunger strike, refused  to drink even water, but this also failed to improve the situation.  He even took the extreme step of swallowing foreign objects up to 15  cm long: a thermometer, a file, and pieces of iron. Some of these  were removed from his body," the journalist reported at the time.

A. Sahakyan, the wife of prisoner A. Sargsyan, previously told an  ArmInfo correspondent about similar problems. According to her, her  husband had long complained of lung problems but had not received the  necessary examinations in a timely manner. She claims that after his  release in 2024, he was admitted to intensive care, where he was  diagnosed with bilateral bronchitis. Later in 2025, according to the  prisoner's wife, Sargsyan was again detained due to ongoing legal  proceedings. According to her, his condition worsened again there.  "He again began complaining of weakness and deteriorating health. For  several months, treatment was limited to courses of antibiotics.  However, he was not given antifungal medications, which led to  further complications. Later, doctors stopped giving him antibiotics,  citing the risk of worsening his condition," Sahakyan said.

She also reported that her husband had been running a fever for some  time, and the symptoms previously recorded by medical staff,  including coughing up blood, did not warrant further examination. The  family, she said, is primarily seeking a full diagnosis. Saakyan  claims that other prisoners are facing similar difficulties.  Specifically, she said, one prisoner was diagnosed with echinococcus  and requires constant medical supervision. "Medical care is limited  to painkillers. The relatives have repeatedly expressed their  willingness to arrange the necessary examination or treatment  themselves, but their proposals remain unanswered," she noted.

Later, Sahakyan contacted the editorial office again and reported  that her husband had self-harmed. She stated that medical assistance  was not immediately provided, after which he was taken to the  hospital. She believes, however, that the necessary medical care was  never provided, and the issue remains unresolved.

ArmInfo also attempted to contact the Office of the Human Rights  Defender for comment. They stated that, in accordance with the Law of  the Republic of Armenia "On the Human Rights Defender," citizens'  complaints and the information contained therein are confidential,  and therefore they cannot comment on a specific case. However, the  office noted that the complainant has the right to resubmit a  complaint and expressed their willingness to answer the editorial  office's questions after receiving an official request.

One thing is certain and clear: the criterion for effectively  addressing these issues is not the number of complaints or monitoring  visits, but the quality of changes made to the system that can reduce  the number of such cases. As Garnik Danielyan, a member of the  opposition "Armenia" faction in the National Assembly of the  Republic, noted, the deplorable conditions in penal institutions have  led to the increase in prison mortality. More often than not, the  member of parliament noted, despite acute health problems and  numerous complaints, prisoners are not transferred to medical  facilities, are not provided with adequate medical care, and there is  also a lack of medication. Coupled with the lack of basic living  conditions, sanitary and hygienic conditions, and the lack of quality  water and food, the issue of protecting basic human rights in  Armenia's penal institutions is effectively unresolved.