Public oversight in the penitentiary institutions and bodies of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia is exercised by the Group of Public Observers. The Group of Public Observers (hereinafter — the Group) is a supervisory body engaged in the issues of safeguarding the rights and freedoms of the persons held in the places for holding remand prisoners and in the correctional institutions of the Penitentiary Service (hereinafter — penitentiary institutions) (hereinafter — persons deprived of liberty), as well as of the persons under the supervision of the penitentiary bodies.

The public Monitoring Group exercising public oversight in the penitentiary institutions and bodies of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia has been operating since 2005, pursuant to Order No. QH-66-N of the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia of 18 November 2005.

In accordance with the Procedure, the activity of the public observers' group is aimed at the public oversight of the protection of the rights of persons deprived of liberty and of persons under the supervision of penitentiary bodies, at the improvement of the working and living conditions of persons deprived of liberty in penitentiary institutions, and, where necessary, at putting forward amendments and supplements to the penitentiary legislation.