Prisoners take turns to go to bed (video)
Today “Strengthening Health Care and Human Rights Protection in Prisons in Armenia” project has been launched in Yerevan. The aim is to strengthen the human rights by improving medical service including provision of mental health care in prisons. It is intended to improve the legal and institutional framework of healthcare in the Armenian penitentiary institutions within the frames of this project, to train their staff and also support the Government to improve material conditions of penitentiary institutions’ healthcare units. The project is implemented by the Council of Europe and will last until February, 2017. “Today one of the biggest problems is the medical service provided to the prisoners. If in freedom the person can choose his doctor and hospital, in prisons there is no such choice. The problem mainly relates to the legal field,” said Ruben Sargsyan, Head of the Social Observation Group supervising in penitentiary institutions, in the interview with “A1+”. Overcrowding of prisons is another problem. “For example Nubarashen is overcrowded. Each prisoner must have at least 4sq/m area, but it isn’t observed,” notes Mr. Sargsyan. His group often witnesses that 15 people live in a cell intended for 9 people. And the problem arises that the prisoners take turns to go to bed. “It also causes psychological problems,” highlights the specialist.
