Unannounced Visit to Kosh Penitentiary Conducted at the Direction of the Human Rights Defender

At the instruction of the Human Rights Defender, an unannounced visit has been made to the Kosh penitentiary of the Ministry of Justice of Armenia. Individual interviews were conducted with a convict who declared a hunger strike, as well as with other individuals deprived of their liberty.

The inmates raised issues related to health problems and medical assistance. Representatives of the Human Rights Defender examined the medical documents regarding the convict's health condition and provided necessary legal advice on the issues raised by him.

The convict did not report any complaints regarding medical and psychological assistance during the course of the hunger strike. In a conversation with the representatives of the Human Rights Defender, he stated that during the hunger strike, he had approached several state bodies; however, he received no response from any of them.

The issues recorded during the visit will be summarized within the jurisdiction of the Human Rights Defender, and letters will be addressed to the relevant state bodies.