YEREVAN. - Armenia’s ministry of Justice forbids Helsinki Association human rights organization to monitor prisons, informed the chairman of the organization Mikael Danielyan.

Armenian former Ministry of Justice Gevorg Danielyan had allowed monitoring and report on situations in prisons. The association again wrote a letter to the present Minister of Justice Hrayr Tovmasyan to get the permission. However he got answer not from the Minister but from press secretary of prison department Arsen Babayan.

“2010 monitoring caused objective complaints of both the prisoners and the prison administration,” reads the refusal letter.

The association wrote another letter asking explanation for the refusal. The ministry has not answered back yet. Danielyan intends to litigate the issue in the court.

“The situation in prisons is unbearable, with 18 people in each cell instead of 12. This is a rude violation of human rights, moreover, this is a torture,” answered Danielyan to Armenian News-NEWS.am.