The Human Rights Defender published an Ad Hoc Report on Ensuring the Rights of Women and Juveniles in the Penitentiary System.
Violations have been recorded following investigation of complaints addressed to the Defender and unannounced monitoring visits. The issues reflected in the Report primarily relate to medical examination of women and juveniles, psychological assistance, as well as their detention conditions and the treatment towards them.
In particular, the lack of accessibility of medical services includes:
- absence of a therapist or family physician involved in the medical staff,
- failure to perform screening examinations,
- lack of proper access to gynecological, pediatric, dental, psychiatric and other medical specialized services,
- issues with properly conducting medical screening on admission and etc.
Moreover, except the accessibility of medical services numerous other issues were revealed as well: supervision over women prisoners through glass partition by male guards, failure to provide personal living space, issues in regard with provision of proper nutrition, contact with the outside world, meaningful activities, education, etc.
The right to education of juveniles deprived of their liberty is not provided; there is lack of recreational and sport activities; juveniles are not provided with special conditions of detention.
Particular reference was made to the working conditions and low social guarantees for the staff of Abovyan penitentiary institution.
The Report presents concrete recommendations towards resolving every issue raised therein, accompanied with detailed analysis of domestic and international standards.
The ad hoc public report is available here.