Abovyan Prison Conditions for Mother and Child

Yesterday, Liana Harutyunyan, who was detained for three months and transferred to the Abovyan prison with her 8-month-old baby, had access to hot water in her cell and was provided with adequate food for children. This statement was released by the Armenian Ministry of Justice's penitentiary service in response to the remarks made by human rights defender Zarouhi Postanjyan, denying her claims.

Zarouhi Postanjyan, Liana Harutyunyan's lawyer, made several posts today regarding the conditions under which her client and her newborn are being held. She wrote that she visited the Abovyan prison today and discovered that the child is suffering from diarrhea, which has caused skin damage. “Liana Harutyunyan is deprived of the opportunity to wash her baby with hot water in the cell, as the cell lacks hot water and a heater. The child has been very restless all night and has had diarrhea. The nurse at the Abovyan prison provided the necessary medical assistance and stated that the child needs to be given Smecta and fluids. In other words, the pediatrician has not examined the young child,” Postanjyan wrote.

She further noted that the cell where little Julian and his mother are located is absolutely unsuitable for an eight-month-old child to live. “All of this is not just violations; it is a disaster. In every legal, moral, and humanitarian standard, this is unacceptable. The rights of a mother with a young child under detention and the child present in the detention facility are grossly violated. This indifference towards the child is a clear case of torture against both the child and the mother,” Postanjyan concluded.

Later, Postanjyan also posted an open letter on her Facebook page addressed to the Prosecutor General of Armenia Anna Vardapetyan, Minister of Justice Surbhi Galstyan, and Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan.

The Armenian Ministry of Justice's penitentiary service responded to Postanjyan's claims, emphasizing that the information mentioned in her posts does not correspond to reality. The prison had hot water available, including during the night, as confirmed by mothers living in neighboring cells with children. Regarding food, it was mentioned that Liana Harutyunyan was provided with food of proper quality designed for children, including mashed potatoes, vegetables, and powdered milk.

“As for the supposedly unfavorable conditions of the cell, we inform you that all cells at the Abovyan penitentiary designed for mothers and babies are thoroughly renovated, equipped with 24-hour hot and cold water, and furnished with children's beds,” the statement from the penitentiary service stated. They added that the 8-month-old baby is currently undergoing examination at a civilian medical institution.

It should be noted that on July 11, it became known that the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction, presided over by Judge Arshak Matevosyan, changed the measure of restraint for the mother of the 8-month-old child and ruled to detain her for three months.