Within the framework of the reforms of the probation service, a public discussion on the transformation of the probation service was held with the participation of Deputy Minister of Justice Arpine Sargsyan.

In her opening speech, Deputy Minister Sargsyan noted that the Probation Service is a structure that performs an essential function in the chain of justice, which, providing an alternative to imprisonment, can work with a person who has committed a crime while in society. She noted that today the expectations of the Probation Service have increased; shortly, the latter will implement several new powers, ensuring, for example, the execution of a preventive measure of house arrest, restriction of freedom, and therefore the latter should be provided with guarantees commensurate with those expectations.

In the context of the above, Arpine Sargsyan referred to the package of Probation services and related laws developed based on the list of measures arising from the Government's plan, which proposes to change the status of the Probation Service, to transition to a particular type of state service, to ensure the mechanisms of counterbalances and restraints from the point of view of the organization of the service, to increase the probation social guarantees of employees, thus creating quality prerequisites for the development of the probation institution in the republic.

Sargsyan noted that the transformation of the Probation Service is not limited to the presentation of a legislative package; solutions are being developed that will help increase the effectiveness of the organization of the Probation Service, will solve the issue of consolidated and proper representation of the Probation Service in all regions of the republic.

Director of the "Civil Society Institute" NGO Artak Kirakosyan, Head of the Probation Service Gevorg Simonyan also made an opening speech at the discussion, Garik Abelyan, Head of the Policy Development Department of the Criminal Legislation, Penitentiary and Probation Sector of the Ministry of Health, and international expert Leo Tikhkhes made a report.

An active and substantive discussion was held with the participation of interested departments, non-governmental organizations, and other structures around the vision of the transformation of the probation service and the legislative initiative put up for public discussion.

At the end of the meeting, an agreement was reached to consider the presented oral and written opinions and to improve the legislative proposal based on them.

The public discussion was organized by the joint initiative of the Ministry of Justice and the "Civil Society Institute" NGO, with funding from the Kingdom of the Netherlands.