A presentation-discussion on “Budgeting human rights” in Penitentiary institutions Armenian was organized

A presentation-discussion of the report on “Budgeting Human Rights” in penitentiary institutions Armenian (hereinafter referred to as: the Report) was organized on March 16 of 2016.

The Report was elaborated by Haykuhi Harutyunyan, the President of Protection of Rights without Border non-governmental organization (hereinafter as the Organization) and Hayk Tadevosyan researcher/monitor of the Organization.

The representatives of the respective state agencies, embassies, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, as well as journalist participated in the event.

Haykuhi Harutyunyan, the President of Protection of Rights without Border non-government organization and Hayk Tadevosyan researcher/monitor of the Organization, as well as Gayane Dadivanyan senior specialist of the Financial Management and Control Methodology Division of the RA Ministry of Finance, Armen Mirzoyan the head of the Logistics Planning Division of Penitentiary Department of the RA Ministry of Justice and Hayk Qochinyan, the head of the International Cooperation and Analytical Division of Penitentiary Department of the RA Ministry of Justice were the main speakers of the discussion.

In her opening remarks, Haykuhi Harutyunyan mentioned, that the existing international standards ensuring the full protection of detainees’ rights, as well as the national legislation were used for the conducting of the evaluation.

“This meeting aims at finding united solutions to the identified problems, as well as the further exclusion of those problems” – mentioned Haykuhi Harutyunyan.

Hayk Tadevosyan researcher/monitor of the Organization presented the problems related to the good and services and their procurement management processes identified in the Report. As noted by him, no evaluation of measures and needs was conducted in regard to financing the food, clothes, medicine and medical assistance from the state budget.

Inconsistencies were identified in the reports presented in regard to procurements during 2015. Data on deficits or excess of procurement were identified in the total amount of goods. Moreover, the penitentiary department purchased the same goods during different periods with different prices.

The existing standards ensuring the protection of detainees’ rights were compared with the budget allocations. It was indentified, that there is no consistency in the provided budget allocations and that procurement processes were inefficient.

The same company became the winner of all the tenders, which were not subjected to quality supervision. The portion defined by the national legal standards for the detainees did not coincide with the actual amount of purchased goods.

On December of 2015, three food tenders were announced by the Penitentiary Department. All the three tender contracts were signed on December 28 and the deadline for tenders was announced for December 30 of 2015.

In 2014, within the expanses provided by the state budget for the maintenance of penitentiary institutions,  financial recourses were provided for apples only; 7 grams of apple for each detainee on daily basis.

Representatives of the Penitentiary Department of the Ministry of Justice of Armenia highlighted the work implemented by the Organization at the same time stating that not all the observations presented by the Organization are acceptable by them.

Gayane Dadivanyan, senior specialist of the Ministry of Finance of Armenia considered the recording of certain issues as an outcome of inconsistencies.

It should be noted, that the event was conducted by the support of Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum of Armenia.

Media publications.

1.http://www.tert.am/am/news/2016/03/16/haykuhi-harutyunyan/1964276

2. http://newsroyal.com/view_post.php?id=89666

3.http://www.panorama.am/am/news/2016/03/16/%D5%80%D5%A1%D5%B5%D5%AF%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B0%D5%AB-%D5%80%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%A9%D5%B5%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B6%D5%B5%D5%A1%D5%B6/1545784

4.http://www.panorama.am/am/news/2016/03/16/%D4%B1%D6%80%D5%B4%D5%A5%D5%B6-%D5%84%D5%AB%D6%80%D5%A6%D5%B8%D5%B5%D5%A1%D5%B6/1545862

5.http://www.panorama.am/am/news/2016/03/16/%D5%80%D5%A1%D5%B5%D5%AF%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B0%D5%AB-%D5%80%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%A9%D5%B5%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B6%D5%B5%D5%A1%D5%B6/1545784

6.http://mamul.am/am/video/26551937/%D6%84%D5%AF%D5%B0-%D5%B6%D5%A5%D6%80%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B4-%D5%A1%D5%A6%D5%A1%D5%BF%D5%A1%D5%A6%D6%80%D5%AF%D5%BE%D5%A1%D5%AE-%D5%A1%D5%B6%D5%B1%D5%A1%D5%B6%D6%81-%D5%AB%D6%80%D5%A1%D5%BE%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B6%D6%84%D5%B6%D5%A5%D6%80%D5%A8-%D5%AD%D5%A1%D5%AD%D5%BF%D5%BE%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B4-%D5%A5%D5%B6

7.http://www.a1plus.am/1441192.html

8.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOCFQ_klW6I

9.http://www.armradio.am/hy/2016/03/16/%D5%AD%D5%B6%D5%A4%D5%AB%D6%80%D5%B6%D5%A5%D6%80%D5%9D-%D6%84%D5%AF%D5%B0-%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B4-%D5%AB%D6%80%D5%A1%D5%BE%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B6%D6%84%D5%B6%D5%A5%D6%80%D5%AB-%D5%A2%D5%B5%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%BB/