United Nations Radio

The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, started Monday a nine-day visit to Armenia, during which it will study the institutional and legal framework regarding deprivation of liberty in the country, and inspect places of detention.

Nubarashem prison cell

The Working Group, headed by El Hadji Malick Sow from Senegal, will meet with Government officials, the Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman), representatives of the Bar Association, civil society members and officials of United Nations agencies and international organizations.

A long list of detention centres will be visited including the infamous Nubarashen prison. Nurabshen prison harbours a group of men convicted in a 1999 deadly attack on Armenia's parliament in which the Prime Minister and Speaker of Parliament were killed.

So far, three convicts have died in prison. One of the convicts hanged himself in his cell, the second was electrocuted using a heating stove in his cell and the latest, is said to have died from a heart attack.

A final report on the visit will be presented to the Human Rights Council in 2011.

Jocelyne Sambira, United Nations Radio
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