Prisoner Beaten in Nubarashen Penal Facility on Orders from an Abroad-Based Criminal Authority

Emphasizing the fight against criminal subculture in correctional facilities, as well as the exclusion of violence based on non-statutory and hierarchical relationships among persons deprived of liberty, the Armenian Ministry of Justice's Penitentiary Service responds appropriately to any such incidents within the framework of powers granted by law, thus undertaking consistent measures to ensure compliance with the mandatory behavioral standards set by the state and promote lawful conduct.

Specifically, on February 25, 2020, a detainee at the Nubarashen penitentiary of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia, identified as V.A., sustained injuries to the left side of his head, pain in his right arm, dizziness, headaches, and nausea. He was transferred to a civilian medical facility for examination and medical assistance. The detainee claimed that his injuries resulted from slipping and falling while exiting the restroom of his cell on the night of February 25.

In relation to the identified injuries, documents were prepared in the penitentiary institution, with a forensic examination ordered. In pursuit of uncovering the actual circumstances surrounding V.A.’s bodily injuries, the operational department of the Penitentiary Service also immediately undertook relevant actions, during which information was obtained indicating that the injuries had, in fact, been inflicted by other inmates occupying a similar status within the criminal hierarchy in another cell.

Furthermore, the aforementioned beating was reportedly directed and organized by a criminal authority residing abroad, connected to individuals of Armenian descent holding a high status in the criminal hierarchy. Given the necessity for a comprehensive, thorough, and objective investigation of the factual circumstances of the incident, immediate actions must be carried out. This also includes examining the apparent commission of official crimes by the relevant officials of the penitentiary institution in question. The materials prepared have been forwarded to the Office of the General Prosecutor of the Republic of Armenia for further proceedings.

To clarify the complete circle of individuals involved in the criminal hierarchy and the causes of the emerging disputes, while simultaneously preventing possible retribution among them, the Penitentiary Service has also implemented other organizational measures. The personnel from the special operations division of the service’s central body have been engaged in the protection functions concerning V.A., while the inmates who had inflicted violence against the detainee have been transferred to another correctional facility where they are under increased supervision.

Measures aimed at preventing similar incidents, consistently combating any manifestation of criminal subculture within correctional facilities, and exposing culpable individuals for criminal liability will be ongoing.