Number of prisoners drops to unprecedented low in Armenia

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS. The prison overcrowding problem in Armenia’s correctional facilities has been solved in 2017-2018, Deputy Minister of Justice Suren Krmoyan said during a discussion on human rights issues in jails.

According to him, there are now 2305 prisoners in Armenian jails, an unprecedented low number.

“This fact is connected not only with the clemency, but also as result of parole and change of conditions, meaning due to general reforms,” Krmoyan said.

He said that a number of reforms, such as the new early release mechanism and new pardon procedures, exist in the correctional sector.

“Very serious changes have been made in prison healthcare, protection of the rights of prisoners convicted to life imprisonment and others,” he said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan