CPT _2010_ 82 - EN - Report Armenia 2010 _2_ - The Government ...

- 34 -68. The CPT recommends that the Armenian authorities adopt a national strategy forcombating inter-prisoner intimidation, including steps to put an end to the reliance on theinformal prison hierarchy to maintain good order in prison establishments. In this context,reference is made to the recommendation in paragraph 119 concerning staffing levels.Further, the Committee recommends that the management and staff of Kosh andNubarashen Prisons make use of all the means at their disposal to counter the negative impactof the informal prison hierarchy and prevent inter-prisoner intimidation. The prisonmanagement must be vigilant as to possible collusion between staff and prisoner “leaders”,and prison staff must be especially alert to signs of trouble, pay particular attention to thetreatment of vulnerable inmates by other prisoners, and be both resolved and properlytrained to intervene when necessary.3. Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment69. A few months after the 2006 periodic visit, life-sentenced prisoners held in Goris Prisonwere transferred to Nubarashen Prison, which was considered to offer more appropriate conditions.At the time of the 2010 visit, Nubarashen Prison was holding 92 lifers. Two life-sentenced prisonerswere receiving treatment at the Prison Hospital. Three other lifers were being accommodated atYerevan-Kentron Prison.70. At Nubarashen Prison, prisoners serving life sentences were generally offered materialconditions which were better than those of the rest of the inmate population. They wereaccommodated in three cells of Unit 4 and the whole of Unit 5, located on the highest two floors ofthe main accommodation building. Cells were of an adequate size for their intended occupancy (e.g.four beds in a cell of some 28 m², including a partitioned sanitary annexe). Efforts had been made toremedy humidity problems in the cells of Unit 5. Further, showers had been installed within theexisting in-cell sanitary annexes, in order to allow prisoners to take more frequent showers. Thatsaid, a few cells (e.g. Nos. 77 and 79) were in a poor state of repair and the windows were still fittedwith several layers of metal grids and bars which significantly limited access to natural light. TheCPT recommends that these shortcomings be remedied.It is of great concern to the CPT that no progress has been made as regards the regime ofactivities provided to life-sentenced prisoners. Out-of-cell activities were no longer on offer (theactivity and fitness rooms had been converted into cells). Further, no inmates had work. Only twoout of 92 inmates were involved in distance-learning programmes. As for outdoor exercise, it wasapparently frequently limited to two or three times a week and it was not available at week-ends. 47To sum up, lifers spent up to 24 hours per day confined to their cells in a state of enforced idleness,their main activity being watching TV/DVDs and reading books. The CPT calls upon theArmenian authorities to develop a programme of activities for prisoners sentenced to lifeimprisonment (including work, education, association and sports, as well as targetedrehabilitation programmes). Further, reference is made to the recommendation in paragraph 83 asconcerns the organisation of outdoor exercise.47See also paragraph 82.