Self-Harm and Suicide Attempts in Armenian Penitentiary Institutions: Healthcare Remains a Critical Concern

A recent video report examines the growing number of self-harm incidents and suicide attempts in Armenia's penitentiary institutions, highlighting the complex challenges faced by persons deprived of liberty and the responsibilities of the State to protect their lives and health. Medical professionals working in penitentiary institutions note that cases involving the swallowing of foreign objects and other forms of self-harm have become increasingly common. According to official data presented in the report, 183 persons committed a total of 617 self-harm incidents in 2025, indicating repeated acts of self-harm by many individuals. The report explores differing perspectives on the causes of these incidents. While prison medical staff often associate self-harm with detainees' criminal cases or personal circumstances, members of the Public Monitoring Group and persons deprived of liberty identify inadequate healthcare, delayed medical assistance, limited access to medication, insufficient specialist consultations, and poor medical follow-up as among the primary contributing factors. According to the Public Monitoring Group, the most frequently documented causes include delayed responses to requests for medical assistance, difficulties in transferring prisoners to civilian hospitals, inadequate provision of medication, detention conditions, food quality, and issues related to parole applications and criminal proceedings. The report also highlights several tragic cases, including the suicide of a prisoner at Armavir Penitentiary in 2025. According to the Public Monitoring Group, the prisoner had repeatedly engaged in severe self-harm, suffered from serious mental health problems, and had repeatedly signaled the need for medical and psychological intervention before ultimately taking his own life. The Public Monitoring Group stresses that every act of self-harm or attempted suicide should be treated as a serious warning sign requiring timely medical, psychological, and psychiatric intervention. Preventing such tragedies requires effective healthcare services, continuous monitoring, and coordinated action by the competent authorities. Ensuring access to adequate healthcare, mental health services, and dignified detention conditions remains an essential obligation of the State under both Armenian legislation and international human rights standards. Source Factor TV Mentions Factor TV Public Monitoring Group Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia Human Rights Defender of Armenia Democracy Development Foundation