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NO PROGRESS IN ARMENIA'S ANTI-TORTURE POLICIES - RIGHTS ACTIVISTS
12:15 ~U 26.06.13
Armenian human rights activists from the Helsinki committee
headquarters find the country's anti-torture policies very poor
and unpromising.
Speaking to Tert.am, President of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia
Avetik Ishkhanyan said the Armenian authorities still go round in a
circle, showing absolutely no signs of progress. Artur Sakunts of the
Vanadzor Helsinki Association said he believes the situation remains
as poor as it used to be.
June 26 is marked around the world as the International Day in support
of Victims of Torture. The day has been observed annually since 1998.
Ishkhanyan believes that the police are the most vulnerable targets of
criticism in matters relating to torture. "They are often unwilling
to speak of inquests, but they are often accompanied by intimidation
and battery, sometimes even torture," the activist told our reporter.
The traditional violations, according to him, are the failure to
ensure a lawyer's presence during the interrogation, give a suspect
the right to make the first call or notify the latter of the period
he or she is expected to remain in police custody.
Ishkhanyan noted that confessions are often distorted from suspects
under duress.
"The situation is unfavorable in other places as well, especially the
penitentiaries which are closed institutions," said he, adding that
inmates often remain silent on the existing problems at meetings with
NGO representatives.
Armenia is a state party to the European Convention for the Prevention
of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Commenting on the situation, Sakunts said that the police departments,
which do not refrain from a torturous conduct, often fail themselves
to launch proceedings over cases of torture.
The activist said that the biannual reports published by the Council
of Europe Parliamentary Assembly's Committee on the Prevention of
Torture clearly depict the situation in each member state.
"They give a very accurate description of the situation. Furthermore,
the committee was on a visit to Armenia this March for conducting
studies at the police departments," he noted.
The Committee's representatives, who are authorized to conduct an
unlimited number of visits to places of detentions, psychiatric
hospitals etc, were in Armenia to assess the authorities' steps
towards mitigating the situation of prisoners, especially those
serving a life sentence.
The Committee's first report on Armenia was based on a 2008
post-electoral monitoring. The Committee's experts, who were in the
country from March 15 to 17, talked to 70 individuals detained over
the post-electoral unrest.
They said in subsequent findings that the legislative provision on
keeping a suspect in detention for no more than 72 hours was very
often violated.
Armenian News - Tert.am
12:15 ~U 26.06.13
Armenian human rights activists from the Helsinki committee
headquarters find the country's anti-torture policies very poor
and unpromising.
Speaking to Tert.am, President of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia
Avetik Ishkhanyan said the Armenian authorities still go round in a
circle, showing absolutely no signs of progress. Artur Sakunts of the
Vanadzor Helsinki Association said he believes the situation remains
as poor as it used to be.
June 26 is marked around the world as the International Day in support
of Victims of Torture. The day has been observed annually since 1998.
Ishkhanyan believes that the police are the most vulnerable targets of
criticism in matters relating to torture. "They are often unwilling
to speak of inquests, but they are often accompanied by intimidation
and battery, sometimes even torture," the activist told our reporter.
The traditional violations, according to him, are the failure to
ensure a lawyer's presence during the interrogation, give a suspect
the right to make the first call or notify the latter of the period
he or she is expected to remain in police custody.
Ishkhanyan noted that confessions are often distorted from suspects
under duress.
"The situation is unfavorable in other places as well, especially the
penitentiaries which are closed institutions," said he, adding that
inmates often remain silent on the existing problems at meetings with
NGO representatives.
Armenia is a state party to the European Convention for the Prevention
of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Commenting on the situation, Sakunts said that the police departments,
which do not refrain from a torturous conduct, often fail themselves
to launch proceedings over cases of torture.
The activist said that the biannual reports published by the Council
of Europe Parliamentary Assembly's Committee on the Prevention of
Torture clearly depict the situation in each member state.
"They give a very accurate description of the situation. Furthermore,
the committee was on a visit to Armenia this March for conducting
studies at the police departments," he noted.
The Committee's representatives, who are authorized to conduct an
unlimited number of visits to places of detentions, psychiatric
hospitals etc, were in Armenia to assess the authorities' steps
towards mitigating the situation of prisoners, especially those
serving a life sentence.
The Committee's first report on Armenia was based on a 2008
post-electoral monitoring. The Committee's experts, who were in the
country from March 15 to 17, talked to 70 individuals detained over
the post-electoral unrest.
They said in subsequent findings that the legislative provision on
keeping a suspect in detention for no more than 72 hours was very
often violated.
Armenian News - Tert.am