HUNGER-STRIKING CONVICTS ATTEMPT SUICIDE AFTER

UNCLAS YEREVAN 001046 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/CARC, DRL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM AM SUBJECT: HUNGER-STRIKING CONVICTS ATTEMPT SUICIDE AFTER FAILED ESCAPE EFFORT REF: YEREVAN 951 This cable is sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly. -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) Four men serving life sentences at Yerevan's Nubarashen detention facility tried to slit their wrists after a failed escape attempt. The escape attempt followed a hunger strike undertaken by the prisoners in protest of the prison conditions. A task force from the human rights ombudsman's office went to the prison July 31 to check the medical condition of those who attempted suicide, and to investigate the complaints about prison conditions. An official from the ombudsman's office told us that, while conditions at Nubarashen were "far from ideal," they were much improved. We are encouraged that the human rights ombudsman's office took action to investigate the claims, but will withhold our own judgment until we have more information. End Summary. -------------- -------------- PRISONERS ATTEMPT SUICIDE RATHER THAN FACE PRISON BEATINGS -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) According to news reports, an unspecified number of prisoners serving life sentences at Nubarashen prison went on a hunger strike to protest their living conditions. Four of those prisoners attempted to escape July 23. News outlets reported that the prisoners slit their wrists following the failed escape attempt rather than face the "brutal beatings" that awaited them. ¶3. (U) A task force from the human rights ombudsman's office met with prisoners July 31 to check on the condition of those who attempted suicide, and to investigate complaints about prison conditions in general. According to news reports, the prisoners (not necessarily those who committed suicide) complained about their life sentences, their living conditions, and the way they were treated. News outlets reported that the task force instructed prison officials to guarantee regular medical care, among other unspecified things. According to reports, the task force plans a second visit to assess the situation. ¶4. (SBU) Arman Khachatryan from the human rights ombudsman's office told us August 2 that, despite news reports, the prisoners did not complain to the task force about beatings or torture. He declined to give specifics about the medical condition of the prisoners who attempted to escape, but said a criminal case would be filed against them for that escape attempt. He said that, though conditions at Nubarashen were still "far from ideal," the task force found them to be much improved. An International Committee of the Red Cross delegate told us ICRC planned a visit to the prison August 3, but did not anticipate releasing any information after the visit. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Prison conditions in Armenia are generally considered to be better than in some other post-Soviet states, but certainly do not approach Western standards. We are encouraged that the human rights ombudsman's office took action to investigate the claims. Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan told us during a July 25 lunch at the Ambassador's residence that his office also planned to investigate complaints of prison violence in Goris, a town in southern Armenia (reftel). We are pleased the office is looking into this important issue, and will wait to see results before passing judgment on its success. We will follow up with the task force on their next visit to the prison, and we will press ICRC for more information after its visit. EVANS