OSCE Office helps strengthen human rights protection, monitoring in Armenia’s penitentiary institutions

Training on international human rights standards and domestic legislation for representatives of civil society organizations monitoring penitentiary institutions, and penitentiary servants was held from 17 to 20 October 2013 by the OSCE Office in Yerevan in co-operation with the Helsinki Committee of Armenia and the non-governmental organization Penal Reform International.

The training held for new members of the Penitentiary Monitoring Group aimed to help them better monitor the treatment and conditions of people in detention. Members of the National Preventive Mechanism under the UN Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, particularly representatives from Armenia’s Ombudsman Office and the Expert Council exchanged views on detention site visits with the members of Penitentiary Monitoring Group, and on designing more effective monitoring tools. Representatives from Armenia’s 13 penitentiary institutions exchanged experiences on promotion and protection of the rights of persons in detention or imprisonment in compliance with legislation and international standards.

“We believe this capacity-building exercise will meet the needs of penitentiary servants and civil society organizations for the common aim of protecting human rights in penal institutions, and will help further advance penal reforms in the country,” said the Deputy Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan William Hanlon at the opening of the event.

Participants also discussed issues related to prisoners sentenced to life, women and juveniles in detention focusing on their specific needs, rights and abilities.

Krassimir Kanev, Chairperson of Bulgarian Helsinki Committee and local experts discussed with participants international standards on prevention of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including those of UN, Council of Europe, OSCE commitments,  as well case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, and presented international prison standards.

Avetik Ishkhanyan, Chairperson of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia said:  “The event will help to enhance public monitors’ knowledge of human rights standards and to promote stronger accountability among penitentiary servants in implementation of their duties.”