Hunger Strike, Self-Harm Incidents: Riot Continues in Vanadzor Penitentiary

The riot continues at the Vanadzor Penitentiary. Alongside the hunger strike, there have been reports of self-harm incidents. Currently, 30 detainees and convicted individuals are participating in the hunger strike. This was reported by 'Factinfo'. The reason behind this unrest is purportedly related to cleaning operations.

Nona Navikyan, the head of the Public Relations Department of the Armenian Ministry of Justice's Penitentiary Service, stated that the operations of the Vanadzor penitentiary are proceeding normally. She remarked, 'There have been no suicide attempts reported by inmates at the Vanadzor penitentiary. Three convicts have declared intentions to self-harm, with two incidents documented, while a third convict refused to undergo a medical examination to verify the self-harm incident.'

Navikyan also noted that on February 9, operational staff from the Penitentiary Service, having received information about prohibited items being kept in the cells along with certain inmates gaining advantages over others, conducted searches in collaboration with special unit officers. The staff discovered substances resembling narcotics, mobile phones, homemade alcoholic beverages, and other prohibited items within the cells.

Inmates following criminal subculture rules at the Vanadzor penitentiary were transferred to another correctional facility on the same day, February 9. In response to this, certain detained individuals and convicts announced a hunger strike,' Navikyan added. 'At this moment, there are 20 detainees and convicts on hunger strike.'