Epress.am News from Armenia
Due to the fault of the Ministry of Justice, prisoners in Armenia cannot meet with attorneys on non-working days and outside of work hours, which is a gross violation of the law, said Armenian Ombudsman Karen Andreasyan in a statement issued today. This statement came about after the Ombudsman's office discovered violations as a result of a complaint submitted by Helsinki Association for Human Rights attorney Arayik Papikyan.
Recall, Papikyan went to visit his client, Karen Kungortsev, at Vanadzor Penitentiary on March 29, 2014, which was a Saturday; however, prison administration forbid the meeting, referring to a government decision, according to which visits with prisoners are allowed only on work days between 10 am and 5 pm.
In a letter dated May 19 to Minister of Justice Hovhannes Manukyan, the Ombudsman proposed he take measures to fully restore the right for attorneys and prisoners to meet and to have prison regulations comply with legislative requirements. A study on such legal violations in international practice was conducted and the findings sent to the justice minister.
"Unfortunately, to this day appropriate measures have not been taken and the apparent legislative contradiction has not been eliminated. Such slowness on the part of the Ministry of Justice in the case of such obvious legislative contradiction and widespread violation of rights is questionable," reads the Ombudsman's statement.