ArmInfo. A number of issues related to the rights of individuals held in the Yerevan-Kentron prison, including those of Armenia's second president Robert Kocharyan, former head of the State Revenue Committee (SRC) Gagik Khachatryan, and others, were successfully resolved thanks to effective cooperation with the competent authorities. This was reported by the Office of the Human Rights Defender (HRD) following a visit by Ombudsman of Armenia Anahit Manasyan to the Yerevan-Kentron penitentiary institution (PCI).
During the visit, the Ombudsman of Armenia became familiar with the conditions of detention of individuals deprived of their liberty, the status of their rights, and the issues they raised. "The Ombudsman and representatives of her office met with prisoners, discussed their concerns and solutions reached with the assistance of the Ombudsman's office," the Human Rights Defender's office reported on its Facebook page.
Regarding other issues, according to the source, the necessary steps are being taken within the framework of the Human Rights Defender's mandate. "The Ombudsman emphasizes the importance of constructive interaction with the Criminal Executive Service of the Ministry of Justice of Armenia and the agency's readiness to promptly respond to the problems identified by the Human Rights Defender." "As a general principle, the Human Rights Defender notes that the treatment of every person deprived of their liberty must be dignified and in line with modern human rights standards, excluding both unreasonably harsh and privileged approaches," the Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia added.
Furthermore, it is recalled that the Human Rights Defender has repeatedly addressed the problems of detention conditions at the Yerevan-Kentron Penitentiary, emphasizing their systemic nature and insisting on the need to take comprehensive measures to improve the situation. "All issues raised during this visit will also be forwarded to the relevant competent authorities," the Office of the Human Rights Defender concluded.
As a reminder, on August 25, Robert Kocharyan was charged with large-scale money laundering, abuse of office, and accepting a large bribe. Nine other individuals were also charged in the case. He was detained that same day. However, Robert Kocharyan's condition, which had undergone heart surgery in early August, sharply worsened, and he was hospitalized. On August 27, the Anti-Corruption Court ordered Kocharyan's pretrial detention for two months. The political forces of Armenia's second president attribute his arrest to an attempt to neutralize a key member of the opposition, amid the Armenian government's readiness to make new concessions to Azerbaijan.
It should be added that, by a decision of the Prosecutor General's Office dated August 29, 2026, the criminal case opened on June 7, 2026, against the former Chairman of the State Revenue Committee, as part of proceedings being reviewed by the Investigative Committee, was amended and supplemented, and a new public prosecution was initiated. Khachatryan was detained on September 1 after security forces searched his and his son's apartments, as well as the offices and branches of 21 companies affiliated with them. These actions were carried out within the framework of criminal proceedings on cases of bribery on an especially large scale and money laundering on an especially large scale. On September 2, a preventive measure in the form of arrest for a period of 2 months was applied against him. On September 1, the lawyers of the former head of the State Revenue Committee of Armenia posted a video showing how the ill Khachatryan is literally pulled out of bed and placed on a stretcher in order to take him to court. In the court itself, the former minister was laid on chairs, which the team of lawyers qualified as further torture. On September 10, lawyer Yerem Sargsyan reported that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) sent a request to the Armenian government regarding the complaint submitted by Gagik Khachatryan's defense.
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