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 Workshop in Yerevan addresses ill-treatment documentation issues in police detention facilities

Vladislav SPIRLICENCO

Modified 2 Years ago.

Workshop in Yerevan addresses ill-treatment documentation issues in police detention facilities

On 5 June 2024 a workshop focusing on the documentation of alleged ill-treatment cases in police detention facilities took place in Yerevan. The presence of Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, along with key representatives from various governmental bodies including the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Investigation Committee, and the Human Rights Defender’s Office as well as relevant NGOs underscored the broad interest and common concern regarding the treatment of individuals in police custody.

The aim of the workshop was to align Armenia's practices with international standards, ensuring that every sign of alleged ill-treatment is meticulously recorded and investigated. The workshop's agenda was comprehensive and built around international standards in the documentation of alleged ill-treatment cases. Experts and participants discussed the protocols and best practices that should be adopted to ensure thorough and transparent documentation.

Council of Europe consultants also presented specific recommendations for establishing an effective system to document such cases within police detention facilities. They proposed to create an independent and transparent mechanism that would systematically record and address allegations of ill-treatment. By adopting international standards and implementing a structured documentation system Armenia aims to strengthen its human rights framework for the protection of individuals in police custody from any form of ill-treatment.

Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Sargsyan expressed gratitude to the Council of Europe for its support to the Ministry. She emphasised that this collaborative effort is a significant step towards ensuring justice and dignity for all detainees 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 06 June 2024