The position became vacant in early December after its previous holder, Ambakum Grigorian, was effectively dismissed by the newly appointed Justice Minister Srbuhi Galian. Grigorian ran the service for less than a year.
Speaking ahead of his removal, Galian, who is also 32, said she plans to surround herself with “professionals who share my and my political team’s approaches.” She also replaced virtually all deputy justice ministers and the head of an agency enforcing judicial acts.
The new Penitentiary Service chief, Tsovinar Tadevosian, has until now headed a division of the service dealing with “social, psychological and legal affairs.” Pashinian announced Tadevosian’s impending appointment shortly after receiving her in his office. She will be the first-ever female head of the agency.
Zaruhi Hovannisian, a member of a team of civic activists monitoring prison conditions in Armenia, hailed Tadevosian’s appointment, saying that she is a “skilled person with high professional qualifications” who should have “positive influence” on the country’s penitentiary system.
Hovannisian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that the system has remained too “punitive” and undergone few changes during Pashinian’s rule. She said reforms expected by her from Tadevosian could therefore meet with strong resistance from senior prison personnel.