Strengthening the Probation Service in Armenia

Building upon the results achieved from the implementation of the Project “Support the scaling-up of the probation service in Armenia”, the Project “Strengthening the Probation Service in Armenia” financed by Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023 – 2026 assists national authorities in facilitating the use of probation services in the country, thus enhancing community safety and the fair administration of justice.
It is implemented in close cooperation and partnership with the Ministry of Justice and State Probation Service, as well as other national stakeholders, including civil society organisations active in are of probation.
The Project will focus on accomplishing the following outcomes:

The knowledge and skills of probation officers on probation methods, risks and needs assessment tool and rehabilitation programmes are enhanced thanks to effective and sustainable training centres and regular staff evaluation;
The co-operation among all actors of the criminal justice system on the basis of a shared understanding of new Probation service functions and respective roles and responsibilities is enhanced;
The accessibility by offenders to effective rehabilitation/resocialisation programmes is enhanced;
E-probation system is further updated and supported to become operational.

The key documents for this Project are Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)1 on the Council of Europe Probation Rules, Recommendation CM/Rec(2017)3 on the European Rules on community sanctions and measures, Recommendation CM/Rec(2014)4 on electronic monitoring, Rec. R (2003) 22 concerning conditional release, as well as the findings and the recommendations of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).
The duration of the Project was set at 24 months, and it was completed on 31 December 2024, with an overall budget of 500 000 Euros.

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Back Public consultation on conditional release policies

Vladislav SPIRLICENCO

Modified 2 Years ago.

Public consultation on conditional release policies

Public consultation on reforming the system of conditional release in Armenia took place in Yerevan on 15 May 2024. Among the attendees were representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Prosecutor General's Office, Penitentiary Service, Probation Service and relevant NGOs. The aim of the meeting was to examine key issues related to conditional release policies, discuss potential strategies and formulate recommendations.

The workshop covered two main topics. Firstly, a report on conditional release prepared by the Council of Europe national and international consultants was presented. This report assessed the current system, highlighted best practices of the Council of Europe member states, and proposed ways to improve the Armenian system. Secondly, the concept note on conditional release, prepared by the Ministry of Justice's working group on the basis of the report, was discussed. This note provided additional insights and recommendations for enhancing the current system.

Participants explored various aspects of the conditional release system and suggested ways to improve it in line with international standards. The event provided a platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas, share experiences, and collaborate on strategies for better implementation of conditional release policies while emphasising the importance of continuous evaluation and improvement of conditional release practices. It is expected that the outcomes of the consultation will be taken into account by the Ministry of Justice while finalising the concept note and further improving the conditional release mechanism in Armenia.

This event is part of the Council of Europe’s support within the framework of the Project “Strengthening the protection of the rights of persons in detention” that assists the national authorities to further enhance penitentiary reform, prison health care and the protection of human rights of persons deprived of liberty. The Project is financed within the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023-2026 and implemented by the Council of Europe.

Armenia 15 May 2024