Cells at penitentiary institutions are not overcrowded. This is what Armenia’s Minister of Justice Artak Zeynalyan said as he summed up the results of the first quarter of activities of the Ministry of Justice during an April 29 press conference.

“Each prisoner has one bed. There are a total of 5,350 beds and 2,287 convicts and detainees,” the minister said.

According to him, 281 prisoners have been placed to jobs through the fund for assistance to convicts, 89 have exercised their right to education, 22 to general education, 63 to vocational education and 4 to higher education.

The minister said the legislative reforms are underway. The package of reforms was adopted in the first reading and applies to long visits, including visits with detainees, short leave, permission for leave in cases related to children, transfer of prisoners with life sentencing to a milder regime or release from prison sooner than the conditional term.

The Compulsory Enforcement Service has received AMD 7,298,489,526, which is 22% more than last year. In the mentioned period, there have been 34 petitions for pardon, 49 personal cases have been presented to the Prime Minister and 47 consultations have been provided. Eight disciplinary proceedings have been instituted against judges, 4 have been terminated. A motion has been filed to the Supreme Judicial Council with respect to two of those cases, and two are in progress. The judicial-legal reforms are underway. In this context, the minister voiced hope that the law on confiscation of illegally acquired funds will be adopted by the end of this year.