Group of Public Monitors Implementing Supervision over the Criminal-Executive Institutions and Bodies of the Ministry of Justice of RA (hereafter referred to as Group) noted that the food for homosexuals continued to be served in separate containers during a visit to the Armavir Criminal-executive institution of the RA Ministry of Justice.
During the visit, 3 sections of food in disposable containers were recorded at the bottom of the food transporting chair.
Observations of the monitors assure that there is still discrimination and differentiated attitude against vulnerable groups in Criminal-executive institutions, which is manifested in different areas of life, even when serving food.
The Group has repeatedly referred to discrimination against homosexuals in annual and ongoing reports.
Taking into account the case recorded during the regular visit, the Group again referred to the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia in its current report No. 20-14, presenting the circumstances and relevant recommendations.
In particular, the Group referred to the political will of the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Ministry of Justice to combat criminal subculture, noting that such discrimination is unacceptable, especially as food is provided by a private organization at Armavir Criminal-executive institution.
Accordingly, the Group proposes to take action to eliminate the impact of the criminal subculture and the differentiated approach in Criminal-executive institutions.
In its response to the raised issue The RA Ministry of Justice states in particular that when organizing the food serving process, in case prisoners are not in a cell, for example due to unpaid work, advocacy, investigative or medical activities, their food sections are pre-filled separately at their request and placed on the trays so that after work they can use the food.
According to the clarifications by the Ministry, the exclusion of the manifestations of the influence of the criminal subculture in the Criminal-executive institutions, as well as the discriminatory treatment of the prisoners and detainees is always in the focus of attention of the head of Criminal-executive institutions Service of the RA Ministry of Justice.
In this context, reconstruction and furnishing works in long-term visit rooms of Criminal-executive institutions are undertaken to ensure the same conditions for all detainees and prisoners, as well as their relatives during the visits.