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Advancing criminal justice: exploring alternative measures to detention in Armenia

An event of 27 February 2024 on alternative measures to detention in Yerevan marks a significant step towards addressing pressing issues in the criminal justice system of Armenia. The meeting, which brought together key stakeholders including representatives from the Ministry of Justice, Probation Service, and local and international consultants from the Council of Europe, underscores a rigorous effort of the authorities to explore innovative solutions to challenges in implementing new restraint measures and sanctions effectively.

One of the central parts of the event was the discussion on the application of electronic monitoring measures, particularly in cases of house arrest. Electronic monitoring represents a modern approach to supervision of offenders that allows them to serve their sentences within the community while being monitored electronically, thus reducing the strain on the prison system and enabling individuals to maintain ties with their families and communities. The practicalities and potential problems of electronic monitoring were topics of consideration during the discussions.

The event also provided an opportunity to explore the Council of Europe standards and draw upon the experiences of various European countries in the application of alternative measures to detention. This exchange of knowledge and best practices is crucial for informing Armenia's approach to implementing house arrest, administrative supervision, and restriction of liberty in accordance with international standards.

The engagement of participants allowed for an open exchange of ideas and addressed current challenges in Armenia, highlighting the importance of continued collaboration and coordination among stakeholders. The outcomes of the meeting will be used to finalise the guidelines on the use of alternative measures being developed by local and international consultants taking into consideration best practices from other countries corresponding to local context. This is the first attempt to help national authorities to have a step-by-step document that will guide probation officers in charge of electronic measures to navigate in the application of new alternative measures to detention.

By embracing alternative measures to detention and exploring innovative approaches to criminal justice, Armenia can make a further step towards a more rehabilitative and humane system that prioritizes both public safety and individual rights.

This event is part of the Council of Europe’s support within the framework of the Project “Strengthening the Probation Service in Armenia”. 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.

YEREVAN, ARMENIA 27 FEBRUARY 2024
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The Council of Europe is the continent’s leading human rights organisation, with 46 member states, including Armenia. All our member states are party to the European Convention on Human Rights, which is the cornerstone of human rights protection in Europe.

The Council of Europe Office in Yerevan, represents the Secretary General in Armenia. It closely co-operates with national authorities supporting the implementation of statutory obligations to the Council of Europe by Armenia through co-operation projects.


 

Armenia and the Council of Europe – bringing human rights from the conference table to your kitchen table

The Council of Europe works for you. We want to give visibility to the role, standards and work of the Council of Europe in its member states, to show how Council of Europe membership has helped achieve particular results or changes. Our aim, through a variety of events and actions, is to highlight ways in which the Council of Europe’s action has helped improve the life of individuals and contributed to improving people’s enjoyment of fundamental rights.

 

Whether it is the impact of the European Convention on Human Rights at national level, or the Council of Europe's work in many fields, such as working to abolish the death penalty or to ensure freedom of expression and freedom of the media, or to adress online and technology-facilitated violence against women through the Istanbul Convention and Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, the Council of Europe has achieved a lot since 1949. View achievements »