By Lilit Shaboyan

In October of last year, the Armenian government adopted a law stipulating that all imprisoned women taking care of children under the age of three would be allocated food, toys and clothes.

Women inmates eligible for such items are still waiting to receive them.

Gor Ghlechyan, who heads the public relations office at the Department of Correctional Facilities, says that of the 173 women serving time at the Abovyan penitentiary there is one taking care of a child under the age of three.

A public group monitoring conditions in Armenia’s prisons say that the woman hasn’t received any of these items for her child.

The Ministry of Justice, which operates the country’s penitentiaries, has no explanation for the delay, only stating that the items will soon be delivered.

The public monitoring group has also proposed that women in prison be provided with another stationary phone to use to call friends and family on the outside.

Today, they have the right to make 15 minute calls three or four times per week.

The ministry promises to look into the matter and quickly come up with solutions.

(Lilit Shaboyan is a fourth year student at Yerevan State University’s Faculty of Journalism)