Most self-harm cases in Armenian prisons linked to closed-cell conditions

In 2024, a total of 626 self-harm or self-mutilation cases were recorded in Armenia’s 10 prisons, involving 205 detainees and convicts, Tsoghik Aleksanyan, head of the Department of Social, Psychological and Legal Work at the Penitentiary Service, said at a debate on Wednesday.

Aleksanyan noted that the prison population increased significantly in 2024 compared to 2023. According to her, self-harm is mostly recorded in prisons where inmates are held in closed cells.

"Most cases of self-harm are committed by prisoners with limited opportunities," she explained. "By ‘limited opportunities,’ I mean the inability to make independent decisions or manage their daily routine, essentially having fewer opportunities for social interaction."

Aleksanyan stated that their observations indicate a clear link between closed-cell conditions and self-harm.

"For example, an inmate who had repeatedly engaged in self-harm and hunger strikes while held in a cell stopped exhibiting such behavior after being transferred to another prison and held in a dormitory, allowing for greater personal space and control over his time," Aleksanyan noted.

She added that the highest number of self-harm cases were recorded in the Armavir and Nubarashen Penitentiaries.