Violations Recorded at the Nubarashen Penitentiary Institution
The Office of the Human Rights Defender has documented several violations during a visit to the “Nubarashen” Penitentiary Institution. According to the report, fundamental requirements for ensuring the living conditions and rights of individuals deprived of their liberty have been violated. In certain cases, penitentiary staff have facilitated violations within the institution, including concealing crimes. They have urged and persuaded detainees not to speak out about the issues inside the prison. The only gym available in the institution is allocated solely for inmates serving life sentences, while other detainees are denied access. Additionally:
– Some cells did not meet the minimum living space requirements for detainees. For instance, in a cell measuring 25 square meters (including the sanitary area), 8 individuals were housed, in certain cells, there were no tables or surveillance cameras.
– Several detainees were held in isolation for periods extending up to several years, which violates the law. As a disciplinary measure, inmates were transferred to solitary confinement rooms and forced to sleep on concrete floors.
– The initial medical examination records contained erasures, corrections, and omissions, issues related to the proper storage of medication were identified, including the discovery of expired drugs and medical supplies, there were also cases where detainees could not access emergency medical care.
– Reports indicate differentiated treatment of detainees, specific categories of individuals were segregated from the general population and subjected to discriminatory practices regarding their treatment and rights, for instance, they were prohibited from using common resources such as equipment, the gym, classrooms, and visitation rooms.
– Problems were also noted regarding the provision of outdoor exercise, exercise areas were located on the roof or the second floor of the institution, creating insurmountable accessibility issues for detainees with mobility challenges. Exercise yards lacked equipment and facilities for physical activities.
Violations were also observed concerning the detainees’ rights to work, access medical care, and other rights established by law.