“Helsinki Association for Human Rights” lawyer Arayik Papikyan voiced the question of the prisoners of penitentiaries who do not get proper medical assistance. He noted that 26 prisoners have died the previous year because of the lack of medical assistance.
“There are no medicine, specialists and medical equipment available at medical clinics of the penitentiaries. This is the case with “Nubarashen” penitentiary, where there is solely a thermometer and a blood measuring device at the medical clinic available. The hospital of the prisoners has a need of many specialists. They announce as there is no such problem, that they give the prisoners the needed medical assistance but these all are merely written on paper. In reality, the relatives of the prisoners bring the prisoners medicine themselves”, told Arayik Papikyan. He indicated the case of Armen Harutyunyan, one of the prisoners: “In March, an open heart surgery was prescribed to him, which has not been done until now. They have shown the order of the Minister of Healthcare to his relatives, as if the latters should make a purchase, but the state is required to provide the surgery pursuant to law. Now he is in a very bad condition.”
The president of “Helsinki Association for Human Rights”, lawyer Nina Karapetyants complaines in her part: “How many people should die for them to stay in peace..?”
The lawyer brought another example – Arayik Hakobyan, one of “Hrazdan” penitentiary prisoners, who had undergone 2 heart surgeries, did not receive assistance even in Hrazdan city hospital, inasmuch as there were no necessary equipments available. So, the prisoner was taken back to the penitentiary in that bad condition.
Luiza SUKIASYAN
