First time in Armenia’s history life convict conditionally released from jail: acting minister

As of now more than 550 convicts have been freed by the declared amnesty, over 1,000 stakeholders in the probation service have been amnestied, acting Justice Minister Artak Zeynalyan said at the meeting with reporters today, summing up the period of tenure from May to November.

He said administrative amnesty has been applied toward 108,000 people, over 1 million 260 proceedings have been terminated.

The acting minister stressed that it is planned to establish departments in Yerevan N3, Gyumri, Vanadzor and Goris N1 medical establishments for treatment of convicts.

“It will help to ensure medical services to more convicts with less resources,” he said.

Zeynalyan stressed that during this government the institute of conditional parole of sentence started functioning as a result 240 people have been paroled which makes 1/3 of submitted motions.

“Motions have been submitted for paroling life convicts one of which has been upheld and for the first time in Armenia a life convict has been conditionally released,” Zeynalyan said.

Speaking about reforms in the system, the acting minister said that the jailed people have been allowed to acquire new identification documents which will give them an opportunity to implement their civil duties in penitentiaries.