On May 22, 2009, the Ball Room of Congress Hotel hosted the presentation of the report on the Public Monitoring Group’s Activity in 2008 in the Detention Places of the People Arrested by the Republic of Armenia Police.

The presentation started with an opening speech of Mr. Suren Iskandaryan, the chairperson of the PMG, who reflected on the PMG’s duties and obligations, as well as acknowledged the Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation, OSCE Yerevan office, Helsinki Committee of Armenia, Civil Society Institute NGO, RA Police Staff for the constant support and assistance to the Group over the past three years.

Ms. Ani Nersisyan, a PMG member, presented the report and focused on the aspects such as, no-longer functioning detention centers, freedom and personal security, several cases of torture over the detainees, illegal detention of the arrested persons in the centers, issues related to food, parcels, walking areas of detainees, personnel of the detention centers and the related issues, medical aid to the detainees, general and Group-specific suggestions. According to the observations of the monitoring group, almost in all Detention Places, the detainees received meal only once a day instead of three times. As far as the torture cases are concerned, the Group observed several cases when the detainees had claimed to be beaten by the police officers and had bruises and traces of violent acts on their faces. The Group also observed several cases of illegal detention up to 27 days instead of 3 legally determined in the detention places.

Still, according to Mr. Iskandaryan there were some improvements on the part of the RA Police. He presented the comparative analysis of the drawbacks referred to in the 2008 report, as well as actions taken by the RA Police to eliminate those. The RA Police undertook serious steps to reduce the drawbacks and completed a considerable amount of work in due time.

The floor was then turned to Colonel Karen Mehrabyan, Deputy Head of the Protection of Public Order Department of the RA Police, who presented to the RA Police comments and feedback on the report in question. Mr. Mehrabyan first acknowledged the PMG for the accomplishments and achievements and noted that not all of the facts presented corresponded to the reality (i.e. Yeghegnadzor, Vayq, Charentsavan, Meghri, etc). It was also mentioned that the conditions of all of the detention centers had been improved, renewed with the linen, bed and kitchen utensils and medication. The RA Police was considering increasing the food rate for the detainees.

The sessions were followed up by the questions/ answers and discussions, of which one point raised by the PMG, but left unanswered, was worthy of attention, i.e., which of the detention centers included in the report did not meet the reality and why the RA Police disregarded in their comments and could not provide any response to the fact that ''the PMG members were denied of access to the detention center by the RA Lori Regional Police Vanadzor Department ''. Another question directed to the Mr. Mehrabyan worth mentioning was raised by the representative of HCAV Vanadzor branch. She voiced a question whether those police officials who had violated the detainee’s rights were released from their duties or fired from RA Police, or whether were still employed in the Police System. The response was that the officials were released from particular duties but were still working in RA Police System.

The representatives from the following institutions and individuals were invited to the event, namely, RA President Administration, National Assembly, RA Ministries, RA Courts, Prosecutor’s Office, the Chamber of Advocates, the Constitutional Court, RA political parties, Human Rights Defender’s Office, a number of NGOs, Ambassadors to Armenia and many international organizations, as well as individuals interested in the PMG activities.

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