Tsovinar Tadevosyan Appointed Head of Armenia’s Penitentiary Service

YEREVAN — Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has announced the appointment of Tsovinar Tadevosyan as Director of the Criminal-Executive Service, Armenia’s department of corrections.

The position became vacant in early December following the dismissal of its previous holder, Ambakum Grigoryan, by newly appointed Justice Minister Srbuhi Galyan.

Tadevosyan, 32, previously headed a division of the service responsible for social, psychological, and legal affairs. Pashinyan announced her impending appointment shortly after meeting with her in his office. She will become the first woman to lead the agency.

Zaruhi Hovannisyan, a civic activist and member of a team monitoring prison conditions in Armenia, praised Tadevosyan’s appointment. Hovannisyan described her as a “skilled professional with high qualifications” who is likely to have a positive impact on the penitentiary system.

In an interview with RFE/RL’s Armenian Service, Hovannisyan noted that Armenia’s penitentiary system remains overly punitive and has seen little reform in recent years.