On the Day of Mher Eghiazaryan's Death, There Was Neither Doctor Nor Nurse in the Prison

Members of the public monitoring group conducting oversight in the penitentiary institutions and bodies of the Ministry of Justice of Armenia visited the Nubarashen penitentiary on January 26, 2019, in connection with the circumstances surrounding the death of M. E. that day. This was reported by the group monitoring public oversight in penitentiary institutions within the Ministry of Justice.

During the visit, the group members discovered that M. E. had been on hunger strike for 44 days, and he had ended his hunger strike on January 17, 2019, and was transferred to the medical unit of the Nubarashen penitentiary, where he died on January 26.

The group members also learned that doctors only work on weekdays and during working hours. On January 26, the day of M. E.'s death, there was neither a doctor nor a nurse in the institution (no medical staff was present during the group's visit either).

On the day of the incident, M. E.'s cellmate noticed a deterioration in his health condition and called the guard, and an ambulance was summoned, but it was unsuccessful in saving him.

It is also important to note that M. E. had a second-degree disability and heart-related health issues. The group members discussed this issue with the shift supervisor, but he mentioned that he was not aware of the details.

In connection with the recorded incident and circumstances, the group contacted the Ministry of Justice on January 29, expressing their concerns.

In particular, the group noted that the lack of an on-duty medical worker in the institution is already a serious problem, and if a medical staff member had been present, emergency first aid could have been provided, potentially saving the individual.

Another concern was related to the fact that the institution, knowing about M. E.'s health condition, did not anticipate that his health issues could worsen due to the hunger strike and did not take steps to transfer him to the hospital, especially in the absence of on-duty doctors at the Nubarashen penitentiary.

During the visit, the group also found that the corridors of the medical unit in Nubarashen penitentiary do not have electric lighting during the evening hours, and staff use their cellphone lights to navigate.

Consequently, the group proposed to make the raised issues in the report a subject of discussion, inform about the cause of M. E.'s death, take measures to organize round-the-clock medical staff presence at the Nubarashen penitentiary, and address the lighting issue in the medical unit's corridors.

On February 14, 2019, a response letter from the Ministry of Justice informed that a criminal case was opened in the investigative department of the Erebuni and Nubarashen administrative districts on January 29, 2019, under number 1201919, within the framework of which the original medical documents and X-ray examination tapes related to the deceased were seized.

The ministry stated that, considering the ongoing preliminary investigation, it is currently inappropriate to provide information regarding M. E.’s death.

Regarding the filling of vacant positions in the medical service of the institution, it was mentioned that relevant work is continuously being carried out in this direction.

As for the corridor lighting in the hospital section of the institution, it was reported that according to the information provided by the penitentiary service, all the lamps in the hospital's corridors are functioning properly, and lighting is ensured.

The Ministry of Justice also provided the staffing list of the medical service department of the Nubarashen penitentiary, as requested by the group.

The group has repeatedly raised issues regarding medical services provided in penitentiary institutions. While acknowledging the confidentiality of the ongoing preliminary investigation, it should also be noted that the quality and accessibility of medical services in penitentiaries, including the full staffing of medical positions, is a primary concern, and any oversight in this area could lead to irreversible consequences.