Ombudsman seeks answers on inmate suicide

PanARMENIAN.Net - Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan has described the suicide recorded at the Nubarashen Mental Health Center as deeply concerning, stressing the issue of state responsibility.

She will request clarifications from the competent authorities.

“People in mental health institutions are under the state’s special care and protection, so such cases raise extremely serious questions about ensuring the right to life, proper supervision, and the use of effective mechanisms to prevent suicides.

It is also concerning that the case involves a person deprived of liberty, for whom the state bears responsibility to ensure safety and care appropriate to his health condition. Such cases must be subject to an immediate, effective and comprehensive investigation by the competent authorities, while supervision and suicide-prevention mechanisms in mental health institutions must be properly applied and improved,” the statement said.

The Human Rights Defender will request clarifications from the competent authorities on all circumstances of the case, including supervision measures used at the psychiatric institution, the medical response, and actions taken to assess and prevent suicide risks.

The Defender reaffirmed that protecting the rights of people with mental health issues requires a more sensitive, professional and continuous approach, while preventing such tragic cases must be among the state’s priorities.

On May 16 at 18:07, the Interior Ministry’s 112 operational management center received a report from the Nubarashen Mental Health Center that Armen Hovhannisyan, who had been transferred there, had died by suicide by hanging.

“A. Hovhannisyan had been detained and was held at the detention facility of the Artashat division of the Community Police. On May 16, at around 09:30, mentally unstable behavior was noticed in the detainee, after which an ambulance was called. On the ambulance doctor’s instruction, the detainee was taken by ambulance to the mental health center under police escort,” the Interior Ministry had reported.

The Ministry of Health clarified that “the citizen with the status of a detained person was admitted to the National Center for Mental Health Care on May 16 by police decision, where he underwent an initial examination by specialists and received appropriate medical prescriptions.”

“Unfortunately, a completed act of self-harm took place, committed within a very short period of time. Medical staff immediately responded to the situation and carried out the necessary emergency measures, but, unfortunately, it was not possible to save the patient’s life,” the ministry said.

Armen Hovhannisyan had been detained for tearing down an election campaign poster. Proceedings had been initiated by the Investigative Committee in connection with the case, but no charges had yet been brought against him, RFE/RL reports.

“Based on the report received, criminal proceedings were initiated under Article 211, Part 1 of the Criminal Code — coercing someone to conduct campaigning or refrain from campaigning, or otherwise obstructing campaigning,” the Investigative Committee said.

The Investigative Committee also said that new criminal proceedings had been initiated over Armen Hovhannisyan’s suicide.