Activists demand free healthcare in penitentiaries

PanARMENIAN.Net - The observer group that conducts monitoring in penitentiary institutions and bodies of Armenia has reported a complaint received from inmates held at the Convicts’ Hospital. The group is calling for all medical services in prisons — including specialized and hard-to-access diagnostic procedures — to be provided free of charge.

On February 12, 2025, the public observer group received alerts from several inmates detained at the Convicts’ Hospital facility. According to their statements, a prison medical worker referred one inmate for a test related to sexually transmitted infections, but the doctor informed them that such testing is only available on a paid basis, as reported by Factor.am .

“This case indicates that the requirement to pay for certain medical services in penitentiary institutions may hinder access to necessary healthcare, which can negatively affect the health condition of inmates,” said Sergey Gabrielyan, Head of the observer group.

Taking into account this information, the group sent a letter to the Ministry of Health of Armenia on February 26, requesting that the right to medical care be upheld in accordance with Government Decree No. 318 from March 4, 2004. According to that decision, both detainees and convicted individuals are entitled to free and state-supported medical assistance. The fight against sexually transmitted infections is also considered part of urgent medical care and should be supported by the state.

On March 7, the group received a response from the Center for Penitentiary Medicine SNCO under the Ministry of Health, stating that the requested test falls under the category of specialized and hard-to-access diagnostic services. In a subsequent letter received on March 24, the SNCO noted that the lab test in question had been paid for by the inmate’s relatives.

Given this situation, the group has urged the Center for Penitentiary Medicine and the Ministry of Health to take appropriate measures to ensure that all medical services provided in penitentiary institutions — including complex diagnostic tests — are fully free of charge for inmates.

The group affirmed that it will continue to monitor the situation and collaborate with state agencies to guarantee the full realization of prisoners’ right to health protection.