Human Rights Defender Investigates Case of Apparent Suicide at Armavir Penitentiary

The Human Rights Defender has issued a statement regarding the case of a young man who allegedly committed suicide at the Armavir Penitentiary, noting that:

“I have initiated a discussion on my own initiative, and at my direction, a visit to the Armavir Penitentiary has been conducted. At this moment, I must emphasize that the stable indicators of deaths, including suicides, from at least 2017 and 2018 demonstrate that there is an overall lack of systematic work towards identifying and preventing the causes and contributing factors of these incidents. Everything ends with an investigation from case to case, and that’s it. In reality, comprehensive measures are necessary. For example, a proper assessment of the suicide risk of individuals deprived of their liberty should be implemented, preventing access to means of taking their own lives for those classified in the risk groups for self-harm or suicide. Moreover, penitentiary staff should undergo periodic training on suicide and self-harm prevention and so on. My reports contain specific suggestions on all of this. All necessary measures will be taken within the framework of the Human Rights Defender’s authority regarding this case.”