Prison food to be served by private catering companies in Armenia

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Justice and its Department of Corrections are carrying out coherent actions for improving prisons conditions and increasing the quality of maintenance services “attaching importance to the unobstructed realization of incarcerated individuals”, the Justice Ministry said in a news release.

Inspections at correctional facilities resulted in initiating renovation and re-equipment works at the prisons.

In addition to the renovation process, prison food will be served by private sector catering companies. The ministry said the move comes to ensure efficient mechanisms at the prisons, significantly increase the quality of prison food. The initiative is based on international practice, as well as the recently commenced new privately-catered nutrition system in the military.

Starting October 15th, the mechanism will be tested for 70 days at the largest, most populated two prisons – Armavir and Nubarashen.

If successful, the program will be introduced at all remaining prisons.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan