Deputy Head of the Criminal Executive Department of the RA Ministry of Justice Varuzhan Melkonyan said that the number of female prisoners decreased by three times in Armenia over past 10 years.

Currently, there are 175 female prisoners in Abovian criminal-legal institution, 48 of them are arrested and 127 – convicted. Fraud is on the first place among the most frequently observed crimes, while murder is on the second place and trafficking - on the third. Up to date, one woman has the biggest number of convictions – 6 times, Varuzhan Melkonyan told a press conference in Yerevan on April 6.

“First, stereotypes shall be changed in the society to prevent women’s return to criminal executive institutions. Serious social and psychological works are carried out with prisoners in Abovian criminal executive institution. Employment is of great importance for them. Presently, 52 women work at Allowance to Prisoner foundation, as well as at carpet manufacturing, sewing and cattle-breeding sections,” Melkonyan reported.

As for the problems related to the institution's territory, he noted that it was constructed in 1958. And capital repair works have not been carried out there since that time.