The fact of yesterday’s suicide of a 22 years old life-term prisoner in Nubarashen penitentiary provided another opportunity to reflect and draw attention to the shortcomings and gaps that exist due to the unsolved systematic problems.
This message was issued by the Human Rights Defender’s Office.
Thus:
1. The corresponding social and psychological service is missing (only one psychologist is assigned to serve over 100 life-term prisoners).
2. Rehabilitation programs are missing (there are no cultural or sport events, no opportunities for work, or education are provided during the term of sentence).
3.  Effective mechanism for the review of the cases is missing.
4. The flexible and differential system on imposing and application of the life-term sentence, changes of the regimes, or early release are missing.
The laws of the European countries base such systems on several factors that had been defined:
a)  the age of the person at the time of crime,
b)  number of convictions,
c) gravity of the offence, number and type of the murders,
d) the personality of the convict.
In 2012, the Human Rights Defender applied to the Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs of the National Assembly of the RA drawing to their attention the issue of the above mentioned problems of the life-term prisoners. Among other legislative recommendations the proposal providing that the person cannot be sentenced to life imprisonment if he had not attained the age of twenty-one at the moment of the offense.
This is due to the circumstance of the young age of criminals, their life experience, non-complete mental maturity and the fact of a person’s not being fully formed yet and European countries are led with these principles.
It is due to mention that in falls, the Human Rights defender will deliver a special report on the problems that exist in the penitentiary establishments and on the reasons which cause these problems.

Source: Iravaban.net