Do You Have a List of 'Thieves in Law' in Armenia? Question to the Minister of Justice

After assuming my last position, I have not yet visited penitentiary institutions; no one says that there are no problems in the prisons at all and that the conditions are paradise-like there. This was stated by Minister of Justice Spruhik Galyan during a conversation with journalists after a government session.

“Problems have always existed, but it is our duty and function to minimize those problems and gradually resolve all issues, which is what we plan to do,” she said.

When asked how she plans to establish order in prisons if there are issues in that criminal world, she replied: “I cannot provide a specific prescription right now—this problem will be solved in this way—but all problems require a systemic solution, and we have systemic solutions for that. These issues include the entry of prohibited items into prisons, conditions of serving sentences, and issues related to medical services. The latter is already outside the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice and falls under the Ministry of Health.”

In response to comments that justice ministers often tend to avoid engaging heavily with the prison system, especially for women who may face certain constraints on the matter, the minister pointed out: “I have served as Deputy Minister of Justice, who coordinated this sector, and I have made numerous visits to all penitentiary institutions.”

Regarding the institution of “zone watchers” and the fight against them, Galyan said: “I believe that the conditions for serving sentences, which are clearly defined by law, must be maintained, and our job should be to ensure that there is no deviation from those conditions—regardless of the individual's status, including presumed status.”

When asked if there is a list of ‘thieves in law’ in Armenia, she responded: “I am not the addressee of that question either.”