On 14 July a round table discussion was held on the topic “Healthcare in Penitentiary System: the Experience of Armenia and Georgia”. The representatives of RA Human Rights Defender’s Office, Ministry of Justice, Penintentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice and civl society participated in the discussion.
The meeting was organized with the aim to observe in comparison the penintentiary healthcare issues in both countries and possible solutions for them, as well as to exchange the best experience.
In his opening remarks the Head of the Division for Civil Socio-Economic and Cultural Rights Protection of RA Human Rights Defender's Office, Armen Mashinyan, spoke about healthcare and the basic right of every individual to receive medical treatment in a democratic society.
Armen Mashinyan pointed the issues relating to the healthcare of persons deprived of liberty in penintentiary institutions are most widespread, systemic and priority challenges in penintentiary system requiring immediate solution. Those issues and ways for their solution have been raised in RA Human Rights Defender's ad-hoc Public Report as National Preventive Mechanism.
The adviser to the Defender, Nina Pirumyan presented to the participants the key directions of the ad-hoc Report, the issues raised in it, as well as the results of legal research, which can provide significant guidance in ensuring the right to health care of a person deprived of liberty and in eliminating legislative gaps.
During the discussion the RA Deputy Minister of Justice Suren Krmoyan refered to the steps implemented by the Ministry of Justice: there is an intention to fully modernize the services of primary health care in all penintentiary institutions till the end of the year.
Armenian and Georgian experiences of healthcare reforms in penitentiary institutions were presented to the participants of the discussion on “Healthcare in Penitentiary System: the Experience of Armenia and Georgia”.
A participant of the round table discussion, the representative of Georgian Office of Penal Reform International Bakar Jikia, expressed his content with the cooperation hoping that it would be continuous.