One inmate injures hand with a razor and another swallows a metal ring at Vardavar Prison; around 20 declare hunger strike

The unrest at the Vardavar Prison continues. Alongside the hunger strike, incidents of self-harm have also been reported. One inmate has injured his hand with a razor, while another has swallowed a metal ring. This was reported by Factinfo.

The head of the public relations department of the Ministry of Justice's penitentiary service, Nona Navikyan, informed Factinfo that currently, 20 detained individuals and convicts are on hunger strike.

“No suicide attempts have occurred at the Vardavar Prison. Three convicts have reported self-harm, two of which have been documented, while the third refused to undergo a medical examination to verify the self-harm,” Navikyan detailed, adding that one of the self-harming convicts swallowed a metal ring, while the other injured his hand with a razor.

Navikyan assured that the operations of the Vardavar Prison are proceeding normally.

As reported, a total of 30 detained individuals and convicts are currently participating in a hunger strike at Vardavar Prison. The reason for the strike is said to be due to so-called cleaning operations.

“...Staff discovered substances resembling drugs, mobile phones, mobile phone accessories, a large quantity of untaxed cigarettes, homemade alcoholic beverages, and other prohibited items. Furniture and electrical appliances that did not meet the internal regulations of the Ministry of Justice's penitentiary institutions have also been removed from the cells. Furthermore, individuals held in Vardavar Prison, who act according to the criminal subculture's rules, were transferred to another correctional facility on the same day, February 9, and as a result, some detained individuals and convicts declared a hunger strike,” the media outlet reports.