It Has to Be Said: Pre-trial Detention

2026-03-10 - 13:15

Almost half of Armenia’s prison population has not been convicted of a crime, they are awaiting trial. Despite legal reforms and repeated promises that detention would be a last resort, Armenia continues to rank among the highest in Europe for pre-trial detainees. Pre-trial detention is not punishment. It is meant to safeguard due process, to prevent flight, interference with evidence, or further crime. But when it becomes routine, the presumption of innocence begins to erode, and public trust in the justice system weakens. In this episode, Maria Titizian examines Armenia’s reliance on pre-trial detention, what the law says, what the numbers show, and why the gap between principle and practice matters. In this episode: • Why almost half of Armenia’s prisoners are awaiting trial • What the 2021 Criminal Procedure Code changed, and what it didn’t • Concerns raised by human rights defenders and court rulings • How routine detention affects due process and public trust Also read In the Pursuit of Justice? The Harmful Prevalence of Pretrial Detention Astghik Karapetyan Jan 10, 2024 Although the new Code of Criminal Procedure has been in effect for over a year and new precautionary measures have been introduced, pretrial detention still remains prevalent in Armenia. Astghik Karapetyan examines why courts hesitate to apply other methods. Read more