Individuals with Self-Harming Tendencies to be Held in Separate Cells, Says Galyan

It is unfortunate that we are seeing an increase in deaths, of which some are suicides. I have often spoken about the efforts that will lead to a reduction or even a zero incidence of these cases. This was stated by the Minister of Justice of Armenia, Surbhi Galyan, during a government briefing, in response to human rights defenders' alarms about the rising number of suicides and deaths in penitentiary institutions; in just the last months of this year, 17 such cases have been recorded.

"We have already initiated the process of reviewing cell conditions, and soon we will have special cells where individuals with self-harming tendencies will be held, thus depriving them of the means to end their lives, or at least minimizing those possibilities that can be used for that purpose. We are also considering having temporary cells which will be equipped with cameras, where individuals in acute situations and prone to self-harm will be relocated. As a result of this comprehensive work, I believe we will see a decrease in such incidents in the near future," Galyan said.