Five Inmates Committed Suicide in Prisons in 2019

According to statistics from 2019, five inmates committed suicide in penitentiary institutions, primarily unrelated to the penitentiary service. This was stated by the head of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice, Major General Arthur Goyunyan, during a press conference held on December 20 at the central body of the penitentiary service.

“Criminal cases have been initiated in all five incidents; the proceedings for two cases have been completed and terminated due to lack of corpus delicti. In one case, the individual was an Iranian-Armenian, charged with illegal drug trafficking, and left a note asking not to blame anyone for his suicide. In the other case, which also concluded investigation, the individual who committed suicide was charged with violating the sexual integrity of a minor. It is understandable that the motive for the suicide must be associated with this,” said Goyunyan.