US embassy cable - 04YEREVAN1178

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 001178 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN, DHL/PHD (Cumberland, Kara) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, KDEM, AM 
SUBJECT: NOMINATION FOR HRDF: CIVIC ACCOUNTABILITY 
 
REFTEL:  STATE 065804 
 
1. (U) Sensitive but Unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
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SUMMARY 
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2. (SBU) Post nominates the program "Police and 
Regional Prison Monitoring" for the Human Rights and 
Democracy Fund, FY04.  This program capitalizes on a 
stated GOAM willingness to allow monitoring of 
detention facilities, expands an existing prison 
monitoring program, and proposes a system of public 
oversight of police actions.  The program builds on 
local and regional initiatives and furthers the 
mission's commitment to empowering Armenian citizens 
within the framework of democracy.  The total cost of 
the program is USD 7,800.  The program would last 8 
months but is very likely to provide sustained benefits 
to Armenian monitoring efforts.  End Summary. 
 
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CURRENT MONITORING DIFFICULTIES 
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3. (SBU) Citizen observers have obtained more access to 
prisons since the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) began 
administering the Armenian prison system in 2002, and 
local human rights NGOs have taken advantage of this 
opening.  In 2003 eleven Armenian NGOs created the 
Civil Society Monitoring Board (CSMB) in cooperation 
with the MOJ.  One member of each participating NGO 
sits on the Board.  This group has relatively free 
access to prisons in Armenia, and will make its first 
annual report to the MOJ and the local news media later 
in 2004.  This group, however, is limited in three 
ways:  their activities outside the capital are 
sporadic because transportation is expensive for local 
NGOs; their numbers are small (only eleven monitors 
have been trained); and they have no access to police 
facilities. 
 
4. (SBU) The leadership of the National Police (NP) has 
been unwilling to allow monitors into police 
facilities.  Even though a 2002 law requires the NDP 
and the MOJ to open their respective facilities to 
public inspection, police facilities have remained 
closed to observers.  NGOs believe that Armenian police 
abuse detainees, but citizens are currently unable to 
measure the extent of this abuse. 
 
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TRAINING COULD FILL THE GAP 
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5. (SBU) Post nominates "Police and Regional Prison 
Monitoring" for the Human Rights and Democracy Fund 
FY04.  The local Helsinki Committee, which is loosely 
affiliated with the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, would 
monitor the grant, create a framework for effective 
monitoring of prisons in regional areas, and establish 
a program to visit police facilities.  In the long 
term, the program plans to create an oversight 
institution with the power to observe and prevent the 
inhumane treatment of Armenians in detention. 
 
6. (SBU) The program would last for 8 months and cost 
USD 7,800.  In the first month, the CSMB would identify 
regional partners and train them in prison and police 
facility monitoring.  Planning and training would be 
followed by four months of prison monitoring in the 
regions.  During this period, the CSMB would also 
approach the NP to secure an agreement on monitoring 
police facilities.  The CSMB currently observes prisons 
around Yerevan, but regional observations would 
intensify under this program.  This experience would 
give the CSMB a track record of success with which to 
approach the NP.  The program would use the remaining 
three months to train additional observers to observe 
police facilities.  After completion of the program, 
the CSMB would write reports on the treatment of 
detainees in prison and police custody, in compliance 
with deadlines negotiated with the MOJ and the NP. 
Both would be independent, public reports.  If the NP 
had not yet agreed to inspections, a plan of next steps 
could be substituted for that report. 
 
7. (U) The cost of the program would be as follows: 
Coordinator             8 months X USD 100     800 
Data Analyst and writer 8 months X USD 100     800 
Computer                                       800 
Training materials/stationery                1,200 
Transportation for training and observation  2,000 
Total cost:                              USD 5,400 
 
8. (SBU) The local NGOs affiliated with CSMB would 
provide trainers, observers, and office space.  The 
Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the OSCE currently 
provide additional expert advice and training 
assistance to the CSMB.  Both agencies have signaled 
their willingness to provide additional training 
support during the period of this program. 
 
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PROVEN AND UNIQUE 
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9. (SBU) The OSCE is familiar with a similar program in 
neighboring Georgia.  The local OSCE encouraged 
Armenian NGOs to form the Civil Society Monitoring 
Board in an attempt to emulate the Georgian model. 
Like the Georgian program, the Civil Society Monitoring 
Board trains individuals to monitor prisons, arranges 
access with the MOJ, and collects its findings in an 
annual report.  This proposed program, however, is a 
first for Armenia.  It plans to examine the treatment 
of detainees nation wide and seeks to create a model 
for monitoring police facilities. 
 
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TOWARDS DEMOCRACY 
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10. (SBU) With widespread allegations of police 
brutality in the penal system, this project is needed 
now.  By expanding prison monitoring and initiating 
monitoring of police detention facilities, this project 
has the potential to gather key information for further 
discussion and would serve as a deterrent to inhumane 
treatment.  Most importantly, it would serve as an 
example of how citizens can work to monitor and check 
government power. 
 
11. (SBU) This program fits firmly within critical 
mission Human Rights priorities.  Embassy Yerevan has 
identified key Mission goals, working to create 
"sustainable democratic institutions" and to 
"empowering citizens to hold government accountable." 
CSMB is creating a transparent system of on-going 
observation.  The proposed program would consolidate 
and extend current gains. 
 
12. (SBU) The effects of "Police and Regional Prison 
Monitoring" are fully sustainable.  The program trains 
individuals, creates a model, and gives a small amount 
of equipment to a group that has shown its ability to 
sustain a prison monitoring system.  The program would 
create additional human and material resources the 
group can use to bolster further efforts. 
 
13. (SBU) Embassy personnel would evaluate the efficacy 
of the program based on five criteria:  the number of 
regions covered, the number of volunteers trained, the 
completion of a monitoring agreement with the MIA, the 
number of police detention facilities visited, and the 
quality of the public reports produced.  Poloff Peter 
Covington would be the Embassy Action Officer, with 
Aaron Sherinian as back-up.  Post has one State officer 
with grant signing authority, who would be present at 
Post through the completion of the project, in addition 
to USAID grant authorizing officers.  The State 
officer's authority is limited to USD 100,000. 
 
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COMMENT 
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14. (SBU) "Police and Regional Prison Monitoring" is 
extremely timely for Armenia.  Recent administrative 
detentions have shown the need for adequate monitoring 
of police activities and citizen oversight.  In 
addition, we support creating a public, non- 
governmental oversight board.  Many governments in the 
Commonwealth of Independent States lack citizen 
oversight boards, and this lack of citizen oversight 
hinders the growth of genuine democracy in these 
nations.  "Police and Regional Prison Monitoring" 
should be funded on its own merits and for the example 
it sets in a region of developing democracies. 
ORDWAY