Life in prison cases are a taboo?
The cases of those who have been sentenced to death, later life in prison have not been reviewed to this point and all that is considered a "taboo", meaning nobody can talk about that. This was the main concern of law-defense NGO representatives and lawyers during today's discussion on "Issues of Prisoners Sentenced to Life in Prison".
In his speech, President of the Helsinki Committee, Avetik Ishkhanyan touched upon the issues of those sentenced to life in prison and mentioned that the society's stereotype is that those people have committed heavy crimes and that is why lawyers avoid getting involved in their cases.
"From the humanistic angle, those people should have the opportunity to correct themselves and get out of prison after a while," said Avetik Ishkhanyan.
In 2004, by Robert Kocharyan's decree, the death sentencing turned into punishment, meaning those with death sentencing were pardoned and sentenced to life in prison.
However, after amendments in the RA Criminal Code in 2004, the laws mitigating the sentencing of life in prison had a regressive force and the verdicts weren't revised.
According to lawyer Yervand Varosyan, the amendments of the RA Criminal Code adopted by the National Assembly on May 25 contain mitigations and all verdicts must be revised.
"Starting May 25, if those sentenced to life in prison don't appeal to the courts for the revision of their verdicts after three months, prosecutors must appeal to the courts to revise those verdicts within a month," said the lawyer.
President of the Helsinki Civil Assembly Vanadzor Office Artur Sakunts presented the report prepared by those sentenced to life in prison in which the latter mention all issues of their concern.
The lawyer has also presented the report to the RA Ministry of Justice. The prisoners say one of the main issues is that they would like to be transferred from the Nubarashen Penitentiary to a penitentiary designed only for prisoners sentenced to life in prison. Among other issues, they also complain about the social-psychological service at the penitentiaries, the quality of food, the right to strolls and more.
