Officials are concerned that prisons in Armenia are overcrowded, with double the number of prisoners they were made to hold, and are appealing to authorities to reform the parole system to grant amnesty.

This week a group of public observers held monitoring visits to nine detention centers where they found that in some prisons 20 inmates are kept in cells designed for eight. The overcrowding is believed to be a potential cause of increased violence and suicide.

Freedom of Religion in Armenia research revealed a number of legal and public problems which do not allow people to profess this or that religion, or be profess atheism or agnosticism. The research also reflects the attitude of society and mass media towards freedom of conscience and different religious organizations.

“Mass media publications indicate that violation of freedom of conscience and religion comes not so much from the authorities, but rather from mass media.

Armenia’s Criminal Court of Appeal on Tuesday dismissed the actions of the legal successors of Tigran Khachatryan, Armen Farmanyan and Gor Kloyan, killed in the March 1, 2008 post-election clashes after being hit by tear gas capsules presumably fired by riot police. The victims’ parents appealed the verdict by the Kentron and Nork-Marash Court of General Jurisdiction, which a month ago dismissed the victims’ actions, according to which they accused the Special Investigation Service of inappropriate investigation of the murder circumstances.

The judicial process was launched on April 16, however, from the very beginning the victims’ parents were sure that all the judicial instances of the Republic of Armenia would dismiss their actions.

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia (Ombudsman) presented an Ad-hoc Public Report on the restrictions on activities of mass media and journalists on Wednesday, July 7, saying that last year the number of those restrictions was 18.

“If we yearn for democracy as a political regime, then we should know that its ‘soul’ is the Constitution, as a legal regime; and freedom of expression completes that legal regime,” says Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan, adding, that the (this) 10th Ad-hoc Public Report ‘Right to Freedom of Expression in the Republic of Armenia’, has no connection with United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to Armenia.

Approaching the anniversary celebration (July 5) of Armenia’s constitution, Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan held a press conference today to say that while he considers the document democratic he would prefer changes in it that strengthen the institution of parliamentarianism and the functions of the Constitutional Court.

Looking back on 15 years of the republic’s constitution, Armenia’s defender of citizen rights also said that given the choice he would have also ensured true independence of the judiciary from political authorities.

A global watchdog continues to rate Armenia as a country with a ‘semi-consolidated authoritarian regime’, which is reflected in its latest annual review of progress in democracy.

In an 18-page report on Armenia published on Tuesday, Freedom House (www.freedomhouse.org) notes no particular progress made by the country in such spheres as electoral, civil society, independent media, governance, judicial framework and independence, corruption, and others.

According to representatives of Transparency International Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Center, Journalists’ Club Asparez in Gyumri, and Vanadzor’s Helsinki Citizens Assembly (HCA), struggle against corruption in Armenia is not productive at all, “even though the statistical data of the Prosecutor-General’s Office show the opposite.”

The Interests Protection and Support Centers in Vanadzor, Gyumri and Yerevan (coordinated by the three organizations) has received more than 1,300 appeals, 360 of them referring to corruption, and the rest were mainly connected with abuses of authority since 2008.

Monitoring held at canteens of schools and kindergartens of Yerevan and provinces of Armenia by Protection of Consumer Rights (PCR) NGO and the Ministry of Agriculture of Armenia, revealed numerous violations of food safety procedures.

The monitoring started in late 2009 and concluded at the end of May, during which 442 canteens were checked, and violations were registered in 377.

A contest for TV frequencies will be held in Armenia on July 20. And on its last day of spring session on June 10, the National Assembly adopted the government-proposed amendments to the Law on Television and Radio. The government explains the amendments are necessary in view of switching to digital broadcasting in the country.

Dunja Mijatovic, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, urged the Armenian authorities to bring the country's draft broadcast law in line with OSCE and international standards before it is adopted.

"If adopted in its present form, the law would not guarantee pluralism in the broadcasting sector. The draft also fails to offer a solid basis for the upcoming process of digitalization," Mijatovic said early this week. "A good draft can safeguard independence of the broadcasters, thus promoting media freedom and at the same time stimulate a competitive and economically vibrant broadcasting sector in Armenia."