23:30, 11 November 2010

In Armenia, AIDS-infected inmates hold protest action

On November 10 in Yerevan, a group of prisoners with AIDS aiming to express their protest against their custody, climbed onto the roof of the penal institution "Hospital for Convicts" of the Ministry of Justice of Armenia.

At about two o'clock in the afternoon about 10 prisoners climbed on the roof and demanded either to cure or release them. This was reported by Arsen Babayan, press secretary of the Penitentiary Department of the Ministry of Justice of Armenia.

"They demand freedom, but the Armenian legislation does not assume this for AIDS patients," Mr Babayan gave his comments to journalists and added that never before AIDS patients-inmates had put forward such demands.

According to Mr Babayan, who is quoted by the "Panorama.am", the penal institution "Hospital for Convicts" now keeps 10 AIDS diagnosed inmates.

At five o'clock in the afternoon, Lana Mshetsyan, press secretary of the Minister of Justice of Armenia, said that the protest action was over and its participants were talked to with explanations, the "PanARMENIAN.Net" reports.