Hospital for Prisoners to be closed 

ArmInfo. The "Hospital for Convicts" penal institution of the RA Ministry of Justice will be closed. The decision was made at a government meeting on October 16.

As noted in the rationale for the draft decision, the possibility of  closing the Nubarashen, Vardashen, "Hospital for Convicts," and  "Yerevan-Kentron" penal institutions of the Ministry of Justice was  previously discussed. Currently, the "Hospital for Convicts" penal  institution is being discussed and will be closed.  This penal  institution does not meet modern requirements for a medical  institution, a fact that has been repeatedly documented by  international and local agencies. In particular, the Council of  Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or  Degrading Treatment or Punishment published a report on its visit to  Armenia on 13 November 2024, which stated, inter alia: "With regard  to the prison hospital, conditions there have deteriorated since the  last visit in 2019, with the entire facility in a state of severe  disrepair (with the exception of some areas previously renovated at  the patients' own expense). In short, the hospital's conditions are  not commensurate with those of a medical institution, and the  Committee calls on the Armenian authorities to close it as soon as  possible." Based on the above, it should be noted that the hospital's  continued operation is contrary to accepted international standards  of medical care and service.  At the same time, the closure of the  facility will allow for a more targeted and effective use of  allocated resources and funds, as well as the organization of  treatment for convicted and detainee persons with mental disorders in  a specialized unit. To achieve this goal, a new building for the  state-owned non-profit organization "Penitentiary Medicine Center"  with a staff of 100 has been established at the Armavir Penitentiary  Institution.

Treatment for individuals with mental disorders held at the  institution is also planned for the professional center "National  Center for Psychiatric Care."

Regarding the transfer of weapons, ammunition, and special equipment  assigned to the Penitentiary Institution "Hospital for Convicts,"  their safety must be ensured until the institution ceases operations,  after the transfer of convicted and detainees.