YEREVAN UNABLE TO RECOMMEND AN OSCE EXTRA-

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000168 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL ABUD AFIN KCRM KJUS PHUM AM OSCE SUBJECT: YEREVAN UNABLE TO RECOMMEND AN OSCE EXTRA- BUDGETARY PROJECT REF: STATE 04892 (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) The OSCE's program of criminal justice reform in Armenia has had several positive effects, including support and training for a fledgling prison monitoring board and minor improvement of living conditions at several prisons. Post cannot recommend additional funding for the project at this time, however, because local plans for project expansion remain undefined. Post and the OSCE representative agreed that the ongoing "Criminal Justice Programme: Assistance in Developing and Promoting Criminal Justice Reform under OSCE Commitments" is the best extra-budgetary program currently offered in the area of human rights for Armenia, but local OSCE plans for expansion of the project are insufficient to recommend increased funding, and the representative is unable to provide us with an expanded program description. ¶2. (SBU) In general, local OSCE representatives suggest expanding the current program to include training prison guards, training Procuracy officials in the prosecution of domestic abuse, and developing judicial alternative sentencing guidelines with the Ministry of Justice. At this time, however, local OSCE representatives have no concrete proposals. We will continue to work with the OSCE to help them as they develop a proposal we can recommend to the USOCSE Mission. EVANS