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DE RUEHYE #0244/01 0800517
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 200517Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7250
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION WASHINGTON DC
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0603
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0564
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1539
RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 0085
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 0091

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 21 YEREVAN 000244 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, PRM AND EUR/CARC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB
AM 
SUBJECT: ARMENIA'S 2008 TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT 
 
REF:  STATE 00002731 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  001.2 OF 021 
 
 
(U) SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1. (U) This cable represents Embassy Yerevan's submission for the 
2008 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report.  Please see paragraph 5 
for responses keyed to reftel request. 
 
¶2. (SBU) During the reporting period, the government of Armenia 
significantly revamped its interagency apparatus that is responsible 
for combating TIP. Positive developments included the final adoption 
of the 2007-09 National Plan of Action (NPA), the creation of a 
ministerial level council headed by the Deputy Prime Minister to 
combat trafficking, the development of the draft National Referral 
Mechanism, and the first ever -- to post's knowledge -- line-item 
allocation of GOAM funding (USD 33,000) for domestic anti-TIP 
programs.  The new NPA is unique in that most of the activities 
described therein are supposed to be financed by the state budget, a 
stark contrast to first NPA where the international community 
financed virtually all anti-trafficking initiatives. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Despite this overhaul, however, which now assigns anti-TIP 
responsibilities to the ministerial level, room for improvement 
remains, particularly in implementing anti-TIP programs.  In 
addition, prosecution of official complicity from previous 
trafficking cases remains a weak area, and the government could 
better leverage the expertise of NGOs in the TIP field to bolster 
its own efforts. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Combating TIP in Armenia remains a top mission priority. 
Embassy officials met frequently with senior members of the Armenian 
government, with concrete results.  The USG funded a victims' 
assistance program that provided safe-haven and medical, social and 
legal services, facilitated the assistance to 14 trafficking 
victims, and funded a victim hotline.  INL funded a number of 
training programs for Armenian law enforcement agencies.  Officials 
advocated persistently for the revamped government structure that 
raises the responsibility for combating TIP to the ministerial 
level, and advised the government on TIP funding priorities, which 
finally appear to be taking place. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Post would like to inform G/TIP that information provided 
in this report covers only calendar year 2007.  Information through 
March 2008 is currently unavailable, due to the ongoing political 
crisis and declared State of Emergency in Armenia which has hampered 
law enforcement agencies' ability to provide requested information. 
Post will promptly transmit such data should it become available 
before the end of March. 
 
-------- 
OVERVIEW 
-------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) This section corresponds to the questions in section A of 
reftel paragraph 27. 
 
-- Is the country a country of origin, transit, or destination for 
internationally trafficked men, women, or children? 
 
Armenia is a source and, to a lesser extent, a transit and 
destination country for women and girls trafficked for sexual 
exploitation largely to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Turkey. 
It is also a source country for Armenian men and women trafficked to 
Russia and Turkey for labor. 
 
-- Provide, where possible, numbers or estimates for each group; how 
they were trafficked, to where, and for what purpose. 
 
According to data on pimping and trafficking cases from Armenia's 
Prosecutor General's (PG's) Office, 147 people were subjected to 
sexual or labor exploitation during calendar year 2007.  Of these 
147 victims - all of whom were women, two were subjected to labor 
exploitation in Turkey. 
 
Of the 147, 36 were classified as trafficking victims under the 
Armenian criminal code.  Most of the women were trafficked from 
Armenia either to Turkey or Dubai for sexual exploitation, and two 
were victims of labor trafficking in Turkey. 
 
It remains a challenge to disentangle Armenian criminal justice data 
on pimping and trafficking in persons, and to translate that into 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  002.2 OF 021 
 
 
our own definitional categories.  Of the 147 women and girls deemed 
by the Government of Armenia to be trafficking victims or to have 
been illegally recruited into voluntary prostitution, 36 women 
identified in connection with Armenian TIP prosecutions clearly meet 
the U.S. definition of trafficking victims.  An additional 33 women 
or girls also most probably meet the U.S. definition of trafficking 
victims, for a total of 69 trafficking victims (32 to the UAE, 34 to 
Turkey, and three Russian women exploited in Armenia).  The 
remaining 78 victims appear not to meet the U.S. definition of 
trafficking victims. 
 
There are no accurate figures clearly documenting the scale of 
Armenian trafficking victims in any of the destination countries. 
Due to poor social conditions and severe poverty in Armenia, 
especially outside the capital city of Yerevan, many men and women 
seek employment abroad where they can fall victim to sex or labor 
trafficking.  According to unconfirmed reports, hundreds of Armenian 
women engage in prostitution in the UAE and Turkey, and it is 
impossible to confirm with certainty what percentage is bona fide 
trafficking victims.  Tens of thousands of Armenian men travel to 
Russia for seasonal construction work, but no data exist to quantify 
the numbers (presumably a small but significant minority) who are 
exploited as trafficking victims. 
 
In November 2007, the Organization for Cooperation and Security in 
Europe (OSCE) published a 2005-07 survey on Labor Migration from 
Armenia.  The survey revealed that out of the 1500 households 
interviewed, 14.5 percent of them had family members who were 
engaged in labor migration.  93.5 percent of those involved in labor 
migration were males; 93 percent of the labor migrants worked in or 
were bound for Russia; and 77.3 worked in the construction industry. 
Although approximately 70.4 percent of the migrants had informal job 
arrangements prior to travel, the vast majority did not have any 
legal agreement/contract with their employers.  According to the 
survey, the data clearly shows that labor exploitation and violation 
of labor regulations are widespread in the destination countries for 
Armenians, although migrants as a rule did not complain about it. 
The survey recorded cases when the migrants went either unpaid or 
underpaid for the job; were subjected to unacceptably harsh working 
and living conditions, or were faced with dangers to their personal 
security or life; when candidates for migration were enticed into 
employment under false pretences; when they suffered deductions from 
wages with or without their voluntary consent; and when they worked 
overtime and without rest. 
 
In June 2007, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), with 
input from two local NGOs (Hope and Help, and Democracy Today), 
published a booklet on "Victims of Trafficking Assisted in Armenia" 
that covered the period of October 2003 through March 2007.  In the 
mentioned period, the two NGOs assisted a total of 87 trafficking 
victims.  Although the booklet does not provide information relevant 
to the current reporting period, the detailed information provides 
insights into the overall TIP landscape: 
 
Out of the 87 victims assisted during the mentioned period: 
 
-- 37 were referred to the NGOs by law enforcement agencies, two by 
Armenia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), five by the 
International Organization for Migration (IOM), 26 by the NGO's 
social workers themselves, and 17 were located through the telephone 
hotlines run by the NGOs; 
 
-- 41 percent were trafficked to the UAE, 30 percent to Turkey, 14 
percent to Russia and in 15 percent of cases Armenia was the 
destination country; 
 
-- 80 percent of the victims were subjected to sexual trafficking 
and 20 to labor trafficking; 
 
-- 10 were male and the rest female; 
 
-- 69 percent of the victims were aged 18-30 years; 
 
-- and in 61 percent of the trafficking cases, the recruiters of the 
victims were their friends; 
 
During the April-December 2007 timeframe, the Hope and Help NGO 
assisted two women who were victims of forced marriages and labor 
exploitation simultaneously.  In both cases the women were 
victimized in Turkey, one of whom was 63 years old, the other 25. 
 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  003.2 OF 021 
 
 
Trafficking victims are usually recruited by friends (ostensibly), 
friends of friends, acquaintances or neighbors.  Those trafficked to 
the UAE usually fly to Dubai directly from Yerevan, or sometimes via 
Moscow.  In most cases, the victims use their real documents to 
travel to Moscow, where traffickers generally give them false 
documents for the final leg to the UAE to evade UAE immigration 
restrictions.  There have been cases in which UAE law enforcement 
agencies had deported victims back to Moscow, at which time 
traffickers forged new false documents for them and returned the 
victims directly back to Dubai.  The trafficking route to Turkey is 
generally via bus through Georgia.  Here as well, frequently 
traffickers recapture victims deported to Georgia, and send them 
back to Turkey with new false documents. 
 
The December 2007 "Anti-trafficking Needs Assessment of Armenian Law 
Enforcement" written by international experts involved in the UNDP's 
Anti-Trafficking Project and a joint project operated by the OSCE, 
International Labor Organization (ILO), and the International Center 
for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) contains reports from 
Armenian law enforcement agencies which indicate that the 
trafficking destination for Armenian victims is shifting away from 
the UAE toward other states in the Persian Gulf, namely Qatar, 
Bahrain and Kuwait.  Such reports have surfaced in the past, but no 
specific cases have yet to be registered. 
 
According to the needs assessment, in the case of trafficking of men 
for labor exploitation, the traffickers appear to be known locally. 
The men are recruited and transported in organized groups (up to 40 
persons) and work in Russia for periods of up to two years in the 
construction industry.  Their freedom of movement is limited, 
passports confiscated, conditions of work poor, they receive only a 
small percentage of the wages owed, and many are threatened with 
retribution against loved ones back home if they reveal their labor 
conditions.  To reiterate, the information from the needs assessment 
provides a more general understanding of the trafficking situation, 
but no such cases have been registered in the period covered by this 
report.  The lack of reported cases is likely due to the 
unwillingness of trafficking victims to admit to the perceived 
stigma of having been trafficked. 
 
-- Does the trafficking occur within the country's borders? 
 
We have had no indications of internal trafficking within Armenia. 
Armenia is geographically small, approximately the size of the state 
of Rhode Island, which limits the scope for internal trafficking. 
 
-- Does it occur in territory outside of the government's control 
(e.g. in a civil war situation)? 
 
Not applicable. 
 
-- Are any estimates or reliable numbers available as to the extent 
or magnitude of the problem? 
 
No.  Post suspects the number of criminal cases and victims reported 
by law enforcement do not represent the majority of cases.  Victims 
are still reluctant to report crimes, and there is still a pervasive 
though slowly diminishing attitude among law enforcement officials 
that prostitutes who are lured abroad with the promise of better 
wages for plying the same trade are not "true" victims of 
trafficking. 
 
-- What is (are) the source(s) of available information on 
trafficking in persons or what plans are in place (if any) to 
undertake documentation of trafficking? How reliable are the numbers 
and these sources? 
 
The best available statistics on criminal cases have traditionally 
been furnished by Armenia's Prosecutor General's Office.  As of 
December 1, 2007, however, the Anti-Trafficking Unit under the PG's 
office was disbanded -- part of a comprehensive restructuring -- 
and with it post's primary source of trafficking data.  (Note: The 
disbanding of the unit was the result of changes in Armenian 
legislation that transferred all investigative functions from the 
PG's office to other law enforcement agencies.  Philosophically, the 
broader reorganization is a healthy change, aimed at providing more 
Western-style institutional checks and balances into the 
investigative process.  It remains to be seen whether this change 
will enhance or detract from law enforcement agencies' capabilities 
to investigate and prosecute trafficking cases.  End note.) 
 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  004.2 OF 021 
 
 
Now the main law enforcement body dealing with trafficking in 
persons, which also has jurisdiction for trafficking in illicit 
narcotics, is the specialized Anti-Trafficking Unit that falls 
organizationally under the Police Department for Combating Organized 
Crime that was established in 2003.  According to the GOAM, the 
authorities will continue distributing trafficking data in the near 
future, however it remains to be seen how exactly this will be done. 
 In the meantime, the chair of the Anti-TIP Working Group from the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has been informally collecting and 
providing this information to post. 
 
The main sources of information on specific trafficking cases 
usually comprise news articles by the Association of Investigative 
Journalists; information from the two organizations that work with 
trafficking victims (the Hope and Help NGO and the United Methodist 
Committee on Relief, or UMCOR); and materials from criminal cases 
and court verdicts. (Note:  Due to diminishing funding, the 
Association of Investigative Journalists may soon no longer be able 
to continue its reporting.  End note.) 
 
-- Are certain groups of persons more at risk of being trafficked 
(e.g. women and children, boys versus girls, certain ethnic groups, 
refugees, etc.)? 
 
The groups most vulnerable to sex trafficking include prostitutes, 
young women who have recently "aged out" of orphanages and special 
schools, the unemployed, homeless people, refugees, single mothers 
and divorced women.  Labor traffickers take advantage of unemployed 
or seasonal workers from poverty-stricken communities.  Trafficking 
victims overwhelmingly come from impoverished communities; the 
common factor among the vulnerable groups is poverty and a lack of 
socio-economic opportunities. 
 
¶7. (SBU) This section corresponds to the questions in section B of 
reftel paragraph 27. 
 
-- Please provide a general overview of the trafficking situation in 
the country and any changes since the last TIP Report (e.g. changes 
in direction).  Also briefly explain the political will to address 
trafficking in persons. 
 
Since the 2007 TIP report, there has been a significant 
restructuring of responsibilities of government agencies tasked with 
combating trafficking, most important of which was the elevation of 
the inter-agency anti-TIP commission to a ministerial council 
chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, whose decisions will 
henceforth possess a binding instead of advisory nature.  In broader 
terms, however, TIP issues, like many others, generally receded from 
the public spotlight during this reporting period, due largely to 
the fact that Armenia held two national elections, parliamentary 
elections in May 2007, and a hotly disputed presidential election in 
February 2008 which has triggered an unresolved political crisis in 
the country. 
 
Some significant, positive developments during the reporting period 
include: 
 
A) On December 6, 2007 the GOAM approved its second National Plan of 
Action on Combating Trafficking for 2007-2009. 
 
B) On the same date the GOAM created a new ministerial level Council 
on Trafficking In Persons chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and 
composed of cabinet-level ministers, thereby creating for the first 
time in Armenia an anti-TIP institution with the power to make 
binding decisions. 
 
C) The GOAM made a significant breakthrough on developing a National 
Referral Mechanism (NRM) for trafficking victims.  The draft NRM was 
completed for pilot testing by the end of the reporting period. 
 
D) The GOAM hosted a large international conference on trafficking 
in September 2007 that generated significant media coverage of 
trafficking issues. 
 
E) The PG's office has obligated approximately USD 33,000 in FY08 
funds for a.) the filming of a documentary on labor trafficking that 
will be aired on Armenian regional networks as well as on national 
public television; b.) the production of two public service 
announcements which promote trafficking awareness and prevention; 
and c.) an organizational map for law enforcement agencies that will 
document trafficking trends and incidence in Armenia. 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  005.2 OF 021 
 
 
 
-- What kind of conditions are the victims trafficked into? 
 
According to NGO accounts, victims in Turkey and the UAE are 
deprived of their documents, cannot leave the places where they are 
kept, do not have control or cannot make decisions over their 
agencies, are beaten and raped, punished (physical abuse) for 
disobedience, and assessed with constantly growing debts that must 
be repaid to traffickers.  Victims are afraid to go to police 
because of their illegal status. 
 
-- Which populations are targeted by the traffickers? 
 
See the last section of paragraph 5 above. 
 
-- Who are the traffickers? 
 
The traffickers are pimps, usually Armenian citizens, in the UAE and 
Turkey, each of whom has established networks of recruiters and 
other facilitators that help them with various logistics (e.g. 
preparing false documents, transportation, etc.).  Those pimps, 
mainly women, who in some cases had formerly worked as prostitutes 
in the destination countries, and who sometimes have one or multiple 
convictions for the same crime) have very good connections with the 
local populations in the destination and transit countries.  In 
numerous cases the same recruiters work for various pimps, as do the 
people in Moscow who forge the documents. 
 
Armenia law enforcement agencies say the trafficking operations are 
loosely associated groups, and not organized criminal structures, a 
characterization that international experts have challenged.  In 
their December 2007 anti-trafficking needs assessment, experts from 
UNDP and ILO-OSCE-ICMPD said trafficking operations bore the sign of 
organized criminal structures, irregardless of the scale of the 
crime and the number of identified victims.  Proof of this lay in 
the capacity of traffickers to provide forged documents, transport, 
and to conduct both the receipt and placement of victims.  This 
opinion is shared by many local and international experts. 
 
-- What methods are used to approach victims? (Are they offered 
lucrative jobs, sold by their families, approached by friends of 
friends, etc.?) 
 
The victims are usually approached by "friends of friends," 
neighbors or acquaintances, but seldom on the street.  The 
recruiters usually lure victims with promises of high wages, either 
to engage in prostitution, or, less frequently, for work as nannies, 
care-providers and waitresses.  Though most trafficking victims know 
they are going to work as prostitutes, they are not fully aware of 
the exploitative conditions in which they will work.  The victims in 
the labor trafficking case were promised a reasonable wage, which 
they never received. 
 
-- What methods are used to move the victims (e.g., are false 
documents being used?). 
 
See paragraph 5 above. 
 
-- Are employment, travel, and tourism agencies or marriage brokers 
involved with or fronting for traffickers or crime groups to traffic 
individuals? 
 
There have been no reports that indicate this. 
 
¶8. (SBU) This section corresponds to the questions in section C of 
reftel paragraph 27. 
 
-- Which government agencies are involved in anti-trafficking 
efforts and which agency, if any, has the lead? 
 
On December 6, the GOAM by decree of the Prime Minister created a 
new structure on combating trafficking.  The new structure is a 
ministerial level council (the highest interagency level entity 
possible within the Armenian system of government) chaired by the 
Minister of Territorial Administration (the current incumbent 
Minister also serves as the Deputy Prime Minister).  The high-level 
council was created to replace the previously existing governmental 
interagency working group, which lacked the political weight to make 
and implement binding government policy.  The decisions of the new 
council will be binding.  In addition to the Deputy PM, the council 
is comprised of the following officials: Minister of Sports and 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  006.2 OF 021 
 
 
Youth Affairs, Minister of Justice, Minister of Trade and Economic 
Development, Minister of Finance and Economy, Minister of Education 
and Science, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Minister of 
Health, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prosecutor General, Head of 
National Security Council, Head of Police, Head of International 
Relations Department of the Staff of the President, Head of the 
Migration Agency under the Ministry of Territorial Administration 
(secretary of the council).  The council has a broad mandate of 
implementing, coordinating and monitoring the government's 
anti-trafficking efforts.  According to the council's mandate it 
should hold meetings not less than every three months.  The chair 
and secretary of the inter-agency working group have an advisory 
status at the council; international and local NGOs as well as 
diplomatic organizations can be present at the meetings of the 
council as observers.  The council has not held any meetings since 
its establishment, as its chairman was the director of the Prime 
Minister's campaign during the presidential race in January and 
February, 2008. 
 
The previously existing inter-agency working group has been 
reorganized to serve as a supporting working group that will 
"organize the ongoing activities of the council."  The working group 
includes representatives from all of Armenia's law enforcement 
agencies (Police, National Security Service (NSS), PG's Office); the 
Migration Agency under the Ministry of Territorial Administration; 
the Government; the Parliament; Ministries of Foreign Affairs; 
Justice; Health; Labor and Social Affairs; Ministry of Trade and 
Economic Development; Education and Science; Sports and Youth 
affairs; Finance and Economy; and the National Statistical Service. 
According to the GOAM, the statistical service will help them track 
trafficking-related data.  The MFA has the lead in this working 
group and is the main point of contact for foreign and local actors. 
 More specifically, the Head of the International Organizations 
Department chairs the group, and the Head of the Human Rights desk 
is the secretary.  Among other things, the working group is mandated 
to hold meetings monthly, ensure that the GOAM fulfills its anti-TIP 
commitments under international agreements, develop joint programs 
with the international community, carry out public awareness 
campaigns, etc.  The working group has to present an annual report 
on its activities to the Anti-TIP Council by January 15 of each 
year. 
 
¶9. (SBU) This section corresponds to the questions in section D of 
reftel paragraph 27. 
 
-- What are the limitations on the government's ability to address 
this problem in practice?  For example, is funding for police or 
other institutions inadequate?  Is overall corruption a problem? 
Does the government lack the resources to aid victims? 
 
A lack of financial and human resources hamper the government's 
ability to address trafficking in persons, which is likewise 
hindered by official corruption. 
 
The Police, the PG's Office, and the National Security Service (NSS) 
informed post that one of Armenia's main obstacles to investigating 
trafficking is the lack of regional cooperation.  This is even more 
difficult given that the main destination countries are the UAE, 
which is plagued by TIP problems and thus hyper sensitive to the 
issue, and Turkey, with whom Armenia has no diplomatic relations. 
 
¶10. (SBU) This section corresponds to the questions in section E of 
reftel paragraph 27. 
 
-- To what extent does the government systematically monitor its 
anti-trafficking efforts (on all fronts -- prosecution, prevention 
and victim protection) and periodically make available, publicly or 
privately and directly or through regional/international 
organizations, its assessments of these anti-trafficking efforts? 
 
The government's interagency working group is the main monitoring 
body.  The working group has a reporting mechanism under which every 
commission member, as well as local and international organizations, 
present summaries of their activities for a specific period.  In 
practice, parties did not report regularly. 
Post's demands for data generally prompted government reporting, 
with the exception of that produced by the PG's Office.  The PG's 
Office kept very good track of cases and published statistics 
through the mass media quarterly (see information on changes in the 
PG's office in Paragraph 5 above).  The interagency working group 
published a report on the first National Plan of Action (NPA). The 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  007.2 OF 021 
 
 
new 2007-09 NPA envisages the possibility of creating a monitoring 
system.  The interagency working group is now mandated by law to 
present annual reports on its activities by mid-January each year 
(see above). 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) This section corresponds to the questions in section A of 
reftel paragraph 28. 
 
-- Does the country have a law specifically prohibiting trafficking 
in persons -- both for sexual and non-sexual purposes (e.g. forced 
labor)?  If so, please specifically cite the name of the law and its 
date of enactment.  Does the law(s) cover both internal and external 
(transnational) forms of trafficking?  If not, under what other laws 
can traffickers be prosecuted? For example, are there laws against 
slavery or the exploitation of prostitution by means of force, fraud 
or coercion? Are these other laws being used in trafficking cases? 
Please provide a full inventory of trafficking laws, including 
non-criminal statutes that allow for civil penalties against alleged 
trafficking crimes, (e.g., civil forfeiture laws and laws against 
illegal debt. 
 
Articles 132 and 132-1 of Armenia's Criminal Code cover all aspects 
of human trafficking.  Amendments to the trafficking statues enacted 
in July 2006 significantly clarified and toughened the penalties. 
The Code's two pimping statutes (261 and 262) provide for 
prosecution and punishment of those found guilty of organization of 
prostitution and recruitment of prostitutes. 
 
Victims of trafficking may obtain restitution during a criminal 
case, or in a civil case, after the completion of the criminal case. 
 In the latter case, the judge may rule that the victim is entitled 
to seek civil damages.  The Labor Code includes articles prohibiting 
forced labor, abuse of workers, and employment of children. 
 
¶12. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section B of 
reftel paragraph 28. 
 
-- What are the prescribed penalties for trafficking people for 
sexual exploitation? 
 
Under the Criminal Code the applicable prison term 
is three-15 years, depending on the aggravating circumstances. 
These sentences are commensurate with those for rape.  The 
penalties, which were stiffened in July 2006, have also had the 
effect of elevating trafficking crimes into the category of "grave" 
and "especially grave" crimes.  According to the Armenian Criminal 
Code, those convicted of "grave" and "especially grave" crimes must 
serve at least half of their sentences before parole or release. 
Previously, those convicted of trafficking crimes were eligible for 
release after serving only one-third of their sentences. 
 
-- What penalties were imposed for persons convicted of sexual 
exploitation over the reporting period? 
 
Please see answers provided in paragraph 16 below. 
 
-- Please note the number of convicted sex traffickers who received 
suspended sentences and the number who received only a fine as 
punishment. 
 
Please see answers provided in paragraph 16 below. 
 
¶13. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section C of 
reftel paragraph 28. 
 
-- Punishment of Labor Trafficking Offenses: What are the prescribed 
and imposed penalties for trafficking for labor exploitation, such 
as forced or bonded labor and involuntary servitude?  Do the 
government's laws provide for criminal punishment -- i.e. jail time 
-- for labor recruiters in labor source countries who engage in 
recruitment of laborers using knowingly fraudulent or deceptive 
offers that result in workers being exploited in the destination 
country?  Are there laws in destination countries punishing 
employers or labor agents in labor destination countries who 
confiscate workers' passports or travel documents, switch contracts 
without the worker's consent as a means to keep the worker in a 
state of service, or withhold payment of salaries as means of 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  008.2 OF 021 
 
 
keeping the worker in a state of service? If law(s) prescribe 
criminal punishments for these offenses, what are the actual 
punishments imposed on persons convicted of these offenses? 
 
The trafficking statutes of the criminal code do not differentiate 
between labor and sex trafficking. The penalties listed in paragraph 
11 above apply to both. 
 
¶14. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section D of 
reftel paragraph 28. 
 
-- What are the prescribed penalties for rape or forcible sexual 
assault?  How do they compare to the prescribed and imposed 
penalties for crimes of trafficking for commercial sexual 
exploitation? 
 
The prescribed penalties for rape are from three to 15 years of 
imprisonment depending on the aggravating circumstance, the same as 
for trafficking for sexual exploitation. 
 
¶15. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section E of 
reftel paragraph 28. 
 
-- Is prostitution legalized or decriminalized? Specifically, are 
the activities of the prostitute criminalized?  Are the activities 
of the brothel owner/operator, clients, pimps, and enforcers 
criminalized? Are these laws enforced?  If prostitution is legal and 
regulated, what is the legal minimum age for this activity? Note 
that in many countries with federalist systems, prostitution laws 
may be covered by state, local, and provincial authorities. 
 
Prostitution is not legal, but is considered a civil, not criminal, 
offense, subject to a fine of USD 1.63 -3.27 for a first offense, 
and USD 3.27 - 6.55 for repeat offenses in the same calendar year. 
(NOTE: The fines are higher than last year only because the dram has 
strengthened against the dollar; the fine in local currency has not 
changed.  500-1,000 drams for the first offense, and 1,000-2,000 for 
the second offense.  END NOTE.)  Organization of and recruitment 
into prostitution are criminal offenses punishable under Articles 
261 and 262. 
 
¶16. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section F of 
reftel paragraph 28. 
 
-- Has the government prosecuted any cases against traffickers? If 
so, provide numbers of investigations, prosecutions, convictions, 
and sentences served, including details on plea bargains and fines, 
if relevant and available.  Please indicate which laws were used to 
investigate, prosecute, convict, and sentence traffickers.  Also, if 
possible, please disaggregate by type of TIP (labor vs. commercial 
sexual exploitation) and victims (children, as defined by U.S. and 
international law as under 18 years of age, vs. adults). 
 
(NOTE: Information from January - March 2008 is unavailable given 
the ongoing political crisis in the country.  Should such data 
become available by the end of March it will be promptly 
transmitted.  END NOTE.) 
 
During calendar year 2007 the GOAM investigated 36 cases of sexual 
and labor exploitation; and convicted 32 people under trafficking 
statutes (Criminal Code articles 132 and 132-1) and pimping statutes 
(articles 261 and 262) on 22 cases.  (NOTE: The 36 cases included 
more than 32 people; however, the PG's Office included 
person-by-person statistics only for the cases that actually made it 
to court.  The number of defendants involved in postponed cases, and 
those still in progress, remains unspecified.  END NOTE.) 
 
Article 132: 5 cases.  Two cases against three persons were sent to 
court.  Two cases were suspended pending the location of the 
defendants and the remaining case is in progress.  Four of the cases 
involved victims trafficked to the UAE, and one to Turkey. 
 
Article 132-1: 9 cases.  Four cases against five persons were sent 
to the courts.  Three cases were postponed pending the location of 
the defendants.  The other cases, one of which was combined with a 
different one, are still in progress.  Five of the cases involved 
victims trafficked to the UAE, and four involved Turkey. 
 
Article 261: 4 cases.  Three cases against 10 people were sent to 
court.  One case was suspended pending the location of the 
defendants.  Two of the cases ended in Turkey and one ended in the 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  009.2 OF 021 
 
 
UAE. 
 
Article 262: 18 cases.  13 cases against 15 people were sent to 
court.  One case was suspended pending the location of the 
defendant, one case was transferred to the Russian Federation (since 
it involved Russian women) and the remaining are still in progress. 
Of these cases, 12 were trafficking cases committed in Armenia, two 
were cases in Turkey and four in the UAE. 
 
According to the end of year data a total of 21 suspects involved in 
16 criminal cases were wanted: nine persons on charges of Article 
132; six - Article 132-1; two - Article 261; and four - Article 262. 
 
 
During calendar year 2007 Armenian courts heard 24 cases under the 
trafficking and pimping statutes.  Twenty-eight of the 32 defendants 
were women, and four were men.  Of the 32 defendants, 28 were 
sentenced to prison terms between one and eight years; the sentences 
of nine persons out of 28 were suspended.  Four people were fined 
300,000 to 400,000 AMD (about 1,000 - 1,300 USD). 
 
On August 3, 2007 a Yerevan court handed down the country's most 
stringent trafficking sentence to date: eight years' imprisonment 
for Gayane Melkonyan for two separate instances of trafficking of 
victims to the UAE and Turkey.  However, on October 11, 2007 the 
review court decreased the sentence to six years. 
 
-- Does the government in a labor source country criminally 
prosecute labor recruiters who recruit laborers using knowingly 
fraudulent or deceptive offers or impose on recruited laborers 
inappropriately high or illegal fees or commissions that create a 
debt bondage condition for the laborer?  Does the government in a 
labor destination country criminally prosecute employers or labor 
agents who confiscate workers' passports/travel documents, switch 
contracts or terms of employment without the worker's consent, use 
physical or sexual abuse or the threat of such abuse to keep workers 
in a state of service, or withhold payment of salaries as a means to 
keep workers in a state of service? 
 
Armenia is considered a labor source country, but very few 
prosecutable cases actually come to light.  In these cases the same 
trafficking statutes as for sexual trafficking apply.  Armenia is 
not a destination country for labor trafficking. 
 
-- Are the traffickers serving the time sentenced: If not, why not? 
Please indicate whether the government can provide this information, 
and if not, why not? 
 
No statistics are available on the length of time served by 
traffickers. 
 
As noted above, traffickers are eligible for release from prison 
after serving one-half of their prison terms.  The courts must 
approve the early release of convicted prisoners, but this approval 
is routinely granted. 
 
In 2006, Anush Zakharyants, one of the first traffickers sentenced 
in Armenia, escaped from prison and then illegally departed the 
country.  The PG's Office acknowledged that Zakharyants was released 
from custody temporarily, for legally-allowed medical attention, 
when she took the opportunity to flee the country via the land 
border with Georgia.  A local journalist has made allegations that 
her escape resulted from official complicity.  According to the 
GOAM, the government has taken all measures legally provided it by 
law to apprehend the fugitive, who has been placed on Armenia's 
wanted list and now also is on Interpol's look-out list.  The MFA 
has promised to provide post with an official explanation of the 
circumstances surrounding Zakharyants's escape, details of the 
post-escape investigation, and information on disciplinary measures 
taken by law enforcement agencies to punish personnel involved in 
the affair. 
 
¶17. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section G of 
reftel paragraph 28. 
 
-- Does the government provide any specialized training for 
government officials in how to recognize, investigate, and prosecute 
instances of trafficking? Specify whether NGOs, international 
organizations, and/or the USG provide specialized training for host 
government officials. 
 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  010.2 OF 021 
 
 
Trafficking is included in the PG's Office's general training 
curriculum, and a training manual was published on international 
best practices and standards.  All employees are required to take 
the initial course and periodic refresher courses.  For its staff 
involved in combating trafficking, the PG's office also organized 
special training on the legal peculiarities of trafficking as a 
crime, and the peculiarities of TIP victims' behaviors. 
 
The Police Academy curriculum does not include a segment on 
trafficking in persons.  The Police Training School does not have 
TIP as a separate subject; however TIP is included within a wide 
range of subjects, linked to relevant articles of the criminal code 
on human rights violations. 
 
Trafficking is also part of the curriculum of the National Security 
Service's Higher School of National Security. 
 
The Ministry of Justice continues to hold training courses on 
prevention of trafficking, prosecution, and victims and witness 
protection in its Legal Institute which trains civil servants 
responsible for enforcement of judicial and criminal acts. 
 
The Judicial school under the Judicial Department also has 
trafficking in its curriculum. 
 
Also see answers to paragraph 28 below. 
 
¶18. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section H of 
reftel paragraph 28. 
 
-- Does the government cooperate with other governments in the 
investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases? If possible, can 
post provide the number of cooperative international investigations 
on trafficking? 
 
The absence of diplomatic relations with Turkey, which is one of the 
main destination countries for Armenian trafficking victims, makes 
it very challenging for Armenian law enforcement agencies to 
cooperate with Turkish counterparts.  The MFA and the Armenian 
police actively cooperate with Interpol in trying to fill that gap. 
According to GOAM data, they have located one Armenian trafficker in 
Turkey who they are trying to return to Armenia for prosecution. 
 
In October 2007, the GOAM hosted the coordination council meeting of 
the Prosecutor Generals of CIS countries, and coordination on 
anti-trafficking was one of the agenda items discussed.  Armenia's 
Prosecutor General made a presentation on TIP and it was decided at 
the council to develop a Plan of Cooperation in the field of 
Trafficking between CIS Prosecutor Generals. 
 
According to the PG's Office, it cooperates with a number of 
countries, including the UAE and countries of the former Soviet 
Union.  The lack of diplomatic relations with Turkey is the main 
obstacle to prosecuting TIP cases in Turkey, which is one of the two 
main countries of destination for trafficking in Armenian women. 
 
The GOAM promotes links with foreign governments on TIP issues.  In 
October 2007, the representatives of the Migration Agency took part 
in an international seminar held in Istanbul that was co-organized 
by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the 
Budapest Process and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic 
Cooperation (BSEC). 
 
¶19. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section I of 
reftel paragraph 28. 
 
-- Does the government extradite persons who are charged with 
trafficking in other countries?  If so, can post provide the number 
of traffickers extradited?  Does the government extradite its own 
nationals charged with such offenses?   If not, is the government 
prohibited by law form extraditing its own nationals? If so, what is 
the government doing to modify its laws to permit the extradition of 
its own nationals? 
 
Armenia has signed two international agreements with the UAE, one a 
Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, and the other 
s a treaty on Extradition (both were signed April 20, 2002 and 
ratified March 23, 2003).  According to international experts, these 
agreements do not seem to be operational.  Armenia also has 
extradition agreements also with the CIS countries. 
 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  011.2 OF 021 
 
 
According to the Criminal Procedure Code, foreign citizens or 
individuals who have permanent resident status in a foreign county 
(but not citizenship) and who have committed a crime in Armenia, 
either may be extradited to their country of residency for 
prosecution, or may be prosecuted in Armenia if there is a relevant 
agreement between the two countries.  The Code also stipulates that 
Armenian citizens may not be extradited to foreign countries for 
prosecution. 
 
¶20. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section J of 
reftel paragraph 28. 
 
-- Is there evidence of government involvement in or tolerance of 
trafficking, on a local or institutional level? If so, please 
explain in detail. 
 
 
As in every aspect of Armenian jurisprudence and law enforcement, 
rampant petty corruption creates a significant problem, and one that 
the government has not to date shown sufficient political will to 
address seriously. 
 
¶21. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section K of 
reftel paragraph 28. 
 
-- If government officials are involved in trafficking, what steps 
has the government taken to end such participation?  Have any 
government officials been prosecuted for involvement in trafficking 
or trafficking- related corruption?  Have any been convicted?  What 
sentence(s) was imposed?  Please specify if officials received 
suspended sentences, were given a fine, fired, or reassigned to 
another position within the government as punishment.  Please 
provide specific numbers, if available.  Please indicate the number 
of convicted officials that received suspended sentences or received 
only a fine as punishment. 
 
There were no cases of trafficking-related corruption or complicity 
reported during the reporting period.  In reference to the case of 
the escape of Anush Zakharyants from prison, the MFA has promised to 
provide post with an official explanation of the circumstances 
surrounding Zakharyants's escape, details of the investigation into 
the escape, and information on disciplinary measures taken by law 
enforcement agencies to punish personnel involved in the affair. 
 
¶22. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section L of 
reftel paragraph 28. 
 
-- As part of the new requirements of the 2005 TVPRA, for countries 
that contribute troops to international peacekeeping efforts, please 
indicate whether the government vigorously investigated, prosecuted, 
convicted and sentenced nationals of the country deployed abroad as 
part of a peacekeeping or other similar mission who engage in or 
facilitate severe forms of trafficking or who exploit victims of 
such trafficking. 
 
Not applicable. 
 
¶23. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section M of 
reftel paragraph 28. 
 
If the country has an identified child sex tourism problem (as 
source or destination), how many foreign pedophiles has the 
government prosecuted or deported/extradited to their country of 
origin?  What are the countries of origin for sex tourists?  Do the 
country's child sexual abuse laws have extraterritorial coverage 
(similar to the U.S. PROTECT Act)?  If so, how many of the country's 
nationals have been prosecuted and/or convicted under the 
extraterritorial provision(s) for traveling to other countries to 
engage in child sex tourism? 
 
There is no identified child sex tourism problem in Armenia. 
 
------------------------------------ 
PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶24. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section A of 
reftel paragraph 29. 
 
-- Does the government assist foreign trafficking victims, for 
example, by providing temporary to permanent residency status, or 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  012.2 OF 021 
 
 
other relief from deportation?  If so, please explain. 
 
During the reporting period there were no clear-cut cases of Armenia 
serving as a destination country.  There was one case of three 
Russian women who had traveled to Armenia to engage in prostitution. 
 The GOAM did not consider them trafficking victims, even though 
local NGOs working with TIP victims identified them as such and 
provided them with shelter.  Two of the women were repatriated with 
assistance from the  IOM, and the third decided to stay in Armenia. 
 
¶25. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section B of 
reftel paragraph 29. 
 
-- Does the country have victim care facilities which are accessible 
to trafficking victims? 
 
There are two shelters in the country maintained by local NGOs that 
are designed to assist trafficking victims. 
 
-- Do foreign victims have the same access to care as domestic 
trafficking victims? 
 
Yes. 
 
-- Does the country have specialized facilities dedicated to helping 
victims of trafficking?  If so, can post provide the number of 
victims placed in these care facilities during the reporting period? 
What is the funding source of these facilities? Please estimate the 
amount the government spent (in U.S. dollar equivalent) on these 
specialized facilities dedicated to helping trafficking victims 
during the reporting period. 
 
As mentioned above, there are two TIP shelters in Armenia, and they 
are exclusively operated and maintained by NGOs. 
 
One is run by UMCOR with the funding of the Norwegian and Belgian 
Governments.  UMCOR runs a permanent shelter and provides victims 
with medical, legal and psychological assistance.  UMCOR also 
connects victims with training programs to help the victim 
reintegrate into society.  During the reporting period, UMCOR 
provided assistance to eight victims.  UMCOR also provided cash 
benefits, a monthly allowance to five victims in the amount of 
20,000 AMD (approximately USD 65), and facilitated a donation from 
the American actress (Andrea Martin, the star of "Big Fat Greek 
Wedding") to purchase a home for one of the victims.  UMCOR's 
implementer, the local NGO "Democracy Today" which resumed its 
activities in August, 2007, maintained a hotline that from August 
2007 through mid-March of 2008 had received 350 calls, about 15 
percent of which were related to trafficking. 
 
UMCOR reported that during the reporting period one of their 
victims, a graduate of an Armenian orphanage, received 
state-provided housing under a program run by the Ministry of Labor 
and Social Affairs (MLSA). 
 
Hope and Help maintains the second shelter with USG funding.  Its 
does not permanently operate and opens only when a victim needs a 
safe haven.  Hope and Help also provides legal, medical, social and 
psychological assistance to victims.  During the reporting period, 
Hope and Help assisted 14 victims, and their hotline received 747 
calls, of which 11 were real trafficking alerts. 
 
After intervention by Hope and Help NGO, MLSA paid a one-time 
poverty allowance to two trafficking victims. 
 
-- Does the government provide trafficking victims with access to 
legal, medical and psychological services?  If so, please specify 
the kind of assistance provided, and the number of victims assisted, 
if available. 
 
TIP victims, like all other citizens, enjoy access to complimentary 
medical check-ups. 
 
According to the MLSA, regional social centers and state employment 
agencies, as well as local government agencies, cooperate with NGOs 
to provide possible assistance to trafficking victims and to 
distribute information to the public. 
 
Changes have been made in the regulations of MLSA's Division on 
Women Issues, which has translated into the formal addition of 
trafficking to its wide-ranging mandate. 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  013.2 OF 021 
 
 
 
During the reporting period, the MLSA helped UMCOR's TIP victims 
find jobs, offered assistance in getting their documents in order, 
and in one case helped settle a victim into an elderly home.  As 
previously mentioned, the MLSA provided an apartment to one TIP 
victim under one of its programs which assists graduates of 
orphanages. 
 
Armenia adopted a Law on Social Assistance in October 2005.  Under 
the law, which came into force January 2006, vulnerable persons are 
eligible to receive the following social services:  counseling, 
reintegration assistance, financial assistance, temporary shelter 
for up to 60 days, legal assistance, etc.  Trafficking victims are 
not mentioned specifically, but are covered under this law.  The 
lack of funding for social issues overall in Armenia hampers the 
practical implementation of the law. 
 
In May the Foreign Ministry worked very actively with a local NGO to 
secure the release of two Armenian victims of trafficking who were 
sentenced in Georgia for illegally crossing the Turkish-Georgian 
border. 
 
¶26. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section C of 
reftel paragraph 29. 
 
-- Does the government provide funding or other forms of support to 
foreign or domestic NGOs and/or international organizations for 
services to trafficking victims?  Please explain and provide any 
funding amounts in U.S. dollar equivalent.  If assistance provided 
is in-kind, please specify exact assistance.  Please explain if 
funding for assistance comes from a federal budget or from regional 
or local governments. 
 
The GOAM does not provide such assistance; however, NGOs note 
exceptionally good cooperation with their individual counterparts in 
the relevant agencies (TIP-designated civil servants in all law 
enforcement agencies, but especially those working in the police, 
the Ministry of Health and MLSA). 
 
¶27. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section D of 
reftel paragraph 29. 
 
-- Do the government's law enforcement, immigration, and social 
services personnel have a formal system of proactively identifying 
victims of trafficking among high-risk persons with whom they come 
in contact (e.g., foreign persons arrested for prostitution or 
immigration violations)? 
 
During the reporting period the government registered a significant 
breakthrough in completing the drafting of a National Referral 
Mechanism.  In September 2007, the anti-TIP interagency working 
group established a working group to develop the detailed mechanics 
of the NRM.  It was buoyed in its efforts by working jointly on the 
project with IOM, OSCE and the ICMPD.  The working group was 
comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Labor and Social 
Affairs, MFA departments on international organizations and consular 
affairs, the Migration Agency under the Ministry of Territorial 
Administration, the police, Border Guards, and the NGOs Hope and 
Help and Democracy Today.  A MLSA representative headed the work of 
the group, which, beginning its work in October, subsequently held 
12 meetings and one 2-day-long event to flesh out the proposed NRM 
in detail.  With GOAM prompting, the working group completed the 
draft NRM at the end of February 2008, which is now undergoing the 
appropriate interagency clearance process within the Armenian 
government.  Once approved, the NRM will be pilot-tested for six 
months, modified as conditions require, and then placed into 
permanent operation by the end of calendar year 2008. 
 
In the meantime, and in the run-up to the formal implementation of 
the NRM, government agencies are making referrals to corresponding 
NGOs on an informal basis. 
 
In June 2007, the GOAM and the IOM, aided by USG INL funding, 
published a manual for Armenian consular officers abroad.  The 
manual contains guidelines for interviewing and repatriating TIP 
victims.  In cooperation with the Ministry of Labor and Social 
Affairs and the Ministry of Health, UMCOR has developed two manuals 
for health and social workers that outline assistance and referral 
procedures for TIP victims. 
 
-- What is the number of victims identified during the reporting 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  014.2 OF 021 
 
 
period? 
 
See section below. 
 
-- Has the government developed and implemented a referral process 
to transfer victims detained, arrested or placed in protective 
custody by law enforcement authorities to institutions that provide 
short- or long-term care? 
 
There have been no cases in Armenia when victims were detained, 
arrested or placed in protective custody by law enforcement 
agencies. 
 
-- How many victims were referred for assistance by law enforcement 
authorities during the reporting period? 
 
In the period from April 2007 through mid-March 2008, Hope and Help 
and UMCOR assisted 22 trafficking victims, of which 15 were referred 
to them by Armenian law enforcement agencies.  According to one of 
the NGOs, two additional victims were referred to them by law 
enforcement agencies, however the victims refused the assistance of 
the NGO.  Overall 17 referrals were made. 
 
On September 3, authorities reported the conclusion of an 
investigation under the pimping statute that involved three Russian 
victims.  The defendant, Armenian citizen Iren Mkrtchyan, and a 
Russian accomplice had recruited Russian women and were bringing 
them to Armenia for prostitution.  Law enforcement agencies 
intercepted two of the victims at the Yerevan airport and referred 
all three to the local shelters operated by NGOs, who subsequently 
identified them as trafficking victims.  Iren Mkrtchyan was 
prosecuted under pimping charges.  The case against the Russian 
accomplice E. Kanaeva was sent to Russia. 
 
¶28. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section E of 
reftel paragraph 29. 
 
-- For countries with legalized prostitution:  does the government 
have a mechanism for screening for trafficking victims among persons 
involved in the legal/regulated commercial sex trade? 
 
Not applicable. 
 
¶29. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section F of 
reftel paragraph 29. 
 
-- Are the rights of victims respected?  Are trafficking victims 
detained or jailed?   If detained or jailed, for how long?  Are 
victims fined?  Are victims prosecuted for violations of other laws, 
such as those governing immigration or prostitution? 
 
In general, the rights of the victims are respected and victims are 
not treated as criminals; they are not detained, jailed or deported. 
 NGOs report that those individuals in law enforcement agencies who 
have undergone anti-TIP training exhibit a significantly improved 
attitude towards TIP victims.  According to some NGOs, the attitude 
of police officers in Armenia's regions still needs improvement. 
 
¶30. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section G of 
reftel paragraph 29. 
 
-- Does the government encourage victims to assist in the 
investigation and prosecution of trafficking?  How many victims 
assisted in the investigation and prosecution of traffickers during 
the reporting period? 
 
Yes, and all 36 victims identified in paragraph 6 as victims have 
assisted in investigations. 
 
-- May victims file civil suits or seek legal action against 
traffickers?  Does anyone impede victim access to such legal 
redress? 
 
Victims may file civil suits and seek legal action against 
traffickers.  In practice, the rights of victims to file lawsuits 
have been honored. 
 
-- If a victim is a material witness in a court case against a 
former employer, is the victim permitted to obtain other employment 
or to leave the country pending trial proceedings? 
 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  015.2 OF 021 
 
 
No such cases have taken place. 
 
-- Are there means by which a victim may obtain restitution? 
 
While there is no state victim restitution program, the victims may 
obtain restitution through the court decisions, based on their 
claims during the criminal proceedings against traffickers, or a 
separate civil suit filed against the trafficker.  In the one labor 
trafficking case recorded during the previous reporting period, the 
court ruled that the trafficker had to pay monetary compensation to 
his victims. 
 
However, in sexual trafficking cases, the courts have rejected such 
claims by the victims.  So, even though the TIP victims have been 
recognized as such under the prosecuted criminal cases, that does 
not necessarily entitle them to any restitution. 
 
On November 27, 2007 the court ruled to reject the civil case of 
Hermine Zakaryan (a TIP victim) against her trafficker Irina 
Yenokyan.  According to court materials, Irina Yenokyan, together 
with her accomplices in Yerevan, had lured Hermine to Dubai by 
promising her a well-paid waitressing job, where she subsequently 
forced her to prostitute.  To deter Irina's escape, Irina Yenokyan 
and her husband Yenok Yenokyan beat and tortured Hermine, which 
resulted in a broken nose, stab wounds, and cigarette butt burns, 
among other injuries.  The victim through her civil suit demanded 
the trafficker provide her with monetary compensation of 340,000 
AMD, approximately USD 1,110.  The victim also acquired TB as a 
result of being trafficked and forced into prostitution.  The court 
found Irina Yenokyan guilty of trafficking and pimping, and 
sentenced her to four years and three months in prison.  For reasons 
unknown, her husband Yenok Yenokyan was not charged as a defendant 
in this case.  The medical expertise had found that the injuries 
sustained by the victim could have been caused in the period when 
she was exploited in Dubai.  Nonetheless the court found the civil 
suit unsubstantiated and rejected the demand for financial 
retribution. 
 
¶31. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section H of 
reftel paragraph 29. 
 
-- What kind of protection is the government able to provide for 
victims and witnesses?  Does it provide these protections in 
practice? 
 
The Criminal Procedural Code was amended in July 2006.  The 
amendments refer to the Protection of Persons Participating in 
Criminal Proceeding. 
 
According to OSCE's April 2007 "An Assessment of Current Responses 
on Trafficking in Human Beings in the Republic of Armenia," the area 
in which Armenian law has adapted least to the reality of 
trafficking is in victim assistance and protection.  To quote the 
report, "The current version of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) 
restricts protection only to victims, witnesses involved in the 
criminal proceedings, and their close relatives, but does not extend 
protection to other persons participating in the criminal 
proceedings.  Currently the Criminal Procedure Code requires that 
authorities respond initially to threats against victims or 
witnesses with an official warning, a measure that does little to 
put an end to such threats while eroding the security of the victims 
or witnesses themselves. 
 
For trafficking victims who do decide to take legal action or 
testify against offenders, assistance in various forms is critical 
to ensuring an effective, long-term recovery from the trafficking 
process. According to Armenian legislation, in particular the Law on 
Social Assistance, certain assistance should be provided to victims, 
and that should as a minimum include secure accommodation, medical 
treatment, and education for children, but de facto, because of lack 
of financial means, this is not implemented." 
 
-- What type of shelter or services does the government provide? 
Are these services provided directly by the government or are they 
provided by NGOs or IOs funded by host government grants?  Does the 
government provide shelter or housing benefits to victims or other 
resources to aid the victims in rebuilding their lives? Where are 
child victims placed (e.g., in shelters, foster care, or juvenile 
justice detention centers)?  What is the number of victims assisted 
by government-funded assistance programs during the reporting 
period? 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  016.2 OF 021 
 
 
 
There are no state-run shelters.  Those victims who have "aged-out" 
of orphanages are eligible for housing assistance from the state 
(see below), as well as social assistance in the form of vocational 
training and job placement.  Child victims, if they are orphans or 
cannot return to their families, are placed in special schools or 
orphanages.  There are very few recorded cases of child victims, 
though anecdotally there have been cases of victims, who had been 
victimized when they were minors, but were already older when 
identified. 
 
-- What is the number of victims assisted by non government-funded 
assistance programs?  What is the number of victims that received 
shelter services during the reporting period? 
 
See paragraphs 25-26. 
 
¶32. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section I of 
reftel paragraph 29. 
 
-- Does the government provide any specialized training for 
government officials in identifying trafficking victims and in the 
provision of assistance to trafficked victims, including the special 
needs of trafficked children? Does the government provide training 
on protections and assistance to its embassies and consulates in 
foreign countries that are destination or transit countries? Does it 
urge those embassies and consulates to develop ongoing relationships 
with NGOs and IOs that serve trafficked victims? 
 
During the reporting period the NGO Hope and Help provided five 
training programs on trafficking to law enforcement agencies with 
funding from the Christian Relief Society (CRS) -- four of which 
were administered in Armenia's regions and one in Yerevan. 
Personnel trained were 69 police officers, ten border guards and 
nine persons from the PG's office.  Hope and Help also held two more 
training programs in Yerevan with funding from the European 
Commission for 30 representatives from the police, PG's office, 
Judges, Border Guars, lawyers and MFA representatives. 
 
With USG funding, UMCOR in the fall of 2007 conducted seven training 
programs for law enforcement agencies in Yerevan and the regions. 
As a result, 99 police officers, including senior officers of 
criminal investigation units, district inspectors, juvenile 
inspectors, were trained on TIP and its effects; international 
anti-TIP instruments; TIP processes (recruitment, transportation and 
exploitation methods); trafficking in children; trafficking in human 
organs; the difference between trafficking and smuggling; 
prevention; identification; investigation; prosecution; protection; 
referral; etc.  UMCOR also held eight training of trainers on TIP 
for 16 police officers from six regions, Yerevan and the anti-TIP 
located within the Armenian police. 
 
During the summer-fall of 2007, IOM with USG funding for the project 
"Capacity Building of Border Guards and Allied Services Personnel" 
organized training for a total of 46 border guards and NSS officers 
serving at Zvartnots international airport and other border 
checkpoints.  During the fall of 2007, IOM also held TIP training of 
trainers for 11 senior officers from different border checkpoints. 
 
From September 5-6, 2007 the GOAM and the Council of Europe 
co-organized a regional conference to increase awareness on the 
European Convention to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings, with wide 
participation from representatives of eight countries.  The 
conference generated significant media interest and coverage. 
 
See above for information on the publication of a manual for 
Armenian consular officers. 
 
-- What is the number of trafficking victims assisted by the host 
country's embassies or consulates abroad during the reporting 
period?  Please explain the level of assistance.  For example, did 
the host government provide travel documents for the victim to 
repatriate, did the host government contact NGOs in either the 
source or destination countries to ensure the victim received 
adequate assistance, did the host government pay for the 
transportation home for a victim's repatriation, etc. 
 
The GOAM assists victims with repatriation to Armenia from the UAE 
and from Turkey.  The GOAM works through the Russian consulates in 
Turkey, which refer victims to the existing two shelters run by 
UMCOR and Hope and Help. 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  017.2 OF 021 
 
 
 
In May 2007, the Foreign Ministry worked actively with a local NGO 
to secure the release of two Armenian victims of trafficking who 
were sentenced in Georgia for illegally crossing the 
Turkish-Georgian border. 
 
¶33. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section J of 
reftel paragraph 29. 
 
-- Does the government provide assistance, such as medical aid, 
shelter, or financial help, to its nationals who are repatriated as 
victims of trafficking? 
 
A January 2006 governmental decree granted the entire Armenia 
population, including trafficking victims, free primary health care 
(excluding specialized dental care). 
 
Victims of trafficking who are recognized as victims of criminal 
cases are referred to UMCOR and Hope and Help, which offer medical, 
legal, financial assistance to the victims and whenever necessary 
offer them vocational training. 
 
The GOAM works with other governments on regulating illegal 
migration, repatriating its citizens, and preventing trafficking. 
They have signed readmission agreements with Lithuania, Denmark, 
Sweden and Germany.  Negotiations have been completed with the 
Benelux countries, Switzerland, Norway, the Czech Republic, Poland. 
Negotiations are underway with the Russian Federation, Ukraine, 
Bulgaria and Romania.  These agreements regulate the procedures for 
the return of citizens.  Armenia has a reintegration program with 
Switzerland that assists people to resettle in Armenia, through 
small business loans, language courses, vocational training.  During 
the year within this program 21 families consisting of 51 persons 
have been reintegrated. 
 
According to the OSCE report, good co-operation with Ukrainian 
authorities exists in the area of TIP prevention.  According to a 
recent agreement between Armenia and Ukraine, all women from Ukraine 
are registered at their consular office in Armenia. They must have 
working contracts, pay taxes and thus their security is considered 
relatively secure.  With Russia this procedure does not work yet. 
 
¶34. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section K of 
reftel paragraph 29. 
 
-- Which international organizations or NGOs, if any, work with 
trafficking victims?  What type of services do they provide?  What 
sort of cooperation do they receive from local authorities?  How 
much funding (in U.S. Dollar equivalent) did NGOs and international 
organizations receive from the host government for victim assistance 
during the reporting period?  Please disaggregate funding for 
prevention and public awareness efforts from victim assistance 
funding.  NOTE:  If post reports that a government is incapable of 
providing direct assistance to TIP victims, please assess whether 
the government ensures that TIP victims receive access to adequate 
care from other entities.  Funding, personnel, and training 
constraints should be noted, if applicable.  Conversely, the lack of 
political will in a situation where a country has adequate financial 
and other resources to address the problem should be noted as well. 
 
There are a number of actors in this field.  The two main NGOs that 
have shelters, hotlines and specific re-integration programs are 
Hope and Help and UMCOR.  The Democracy Today NGO is a 
sub-implementer of UMCOR's.  See above for more details. 
 
---------- 
PREVENTION 
---------- 
 
¶35. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section A of 
reftel paragraph 30. 
 
-- Does the government acknowledge that trafficking is a problem in 
the country?  If not, why not? 
 
Yes, the GOAM acknowledges that trafficking is a problem, thanks in 
large part to post's advocacy efforts and the TIP reporting process, 
as well as the increasingly active participation of the 
international community in this field.  As a result, over the past 
years the GOAM has shown increased awareness on the links between 
trafficking and labor migration. 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  018.2 OF 021 
 
 
 
In March 2008, President Kocharian submitted for consideration to 
the parliament ratification of the Convention of the Council of 
Europe on Combating Trafficking. 
 
¶36. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section B of 
reftel paragraph 30. 
 
-- Are there, or have there been, government-run anti-trafficking 
information or education campaigns conducted during the reporting 
period?  If so, briefly describe the campaign(s), including their 
objectives and effectiveness.  Please provide the number of people 
reached by such awareness efforts if available.  Do these campaigns 
target potential trafficking victims and/or the demand for 
trafficking (e.g. "clients" of prostitutes or beneficiaries of 
forced labor)? 
 
In late 2007, for the first time ever to post's knowledge, the GOAM 
allocated line-item funding for anti-TIP programs.  Approximately 10 
million drams (USD 33,000) from national budget reserve funds were 
allocated to the PG's office to conduct anti-TIP activities.  The 
money was obligated after significant USG pressure, at the very end 
of the Armenian fiscal year.  Eventually in December the PG's office 
decided to spread the funds over three discrete projects:  a.) the 
filming of a documentary on labor trafficking that will be aired by 
regional TV companies as well as on national public television; b.) 
the production of two public service announcements to promote public 
awareness of trafficking and its prevention; and c.) an 
organizational map for law enforcement agencies that will document 
trafficking incidence in Armenia.  (NOTE:  The organizational map is 
something that the PG's office has not adequately explained to 
post's satisfaction.  END NOTE.)  The Association of Investigative 
Journalists has accepted the documentary project and is currently 
producing its material. 
 
From September 5-6, 2007, the GOAM and the Council of Europe 
co-organized a regional conference to increase awareness on the 
European Convention to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings.  One 
hundred anti-TIP experts from Armenia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, 
Georgia, Romania, the Russian Federation, and other countries 
participated.  The media extensively covered the conference, 
numerous TV and radio interviews were conducted, and Armenian 
parliamentarians, MFA officials and NGO representatives held 
televised debates.  The GOAM spent 1,068,000 AMD on the event 
(approximately USD 3,560). 
 
The Prosecutor General's office also regularly published on its 
website crime reports that included detailed facts and statistics on 
trafficking and pimping crimes. 
 
During the year the Ministry of Health organized discussions with 
physicians from Armenian medical units to raise their awareness 
about treatment of trafficking victims. 
 
The MLSA continues to furnish all graduates of orphanages with 
housing.  The project is fully sustained with permanent allocations 
from the state budget.  The graduates are also provided with social 
assistance in the form of vocational training, education, and job 
placement.  During the year, 20 such graduates received apartments, 
one of whom was a victim of trafficking identified by UMCOR. 
 
Beginning in December 2007, the GOAM organized seminars and 
roundtable discussions on trafficking in Armenia's regions for civil 
servants specifically responsible for ensuring the welfare of women 
and children (physicians, psychologists, social workers), and for 
journalists, NGOs and community heads as well. 
 
The Migration Agency continues to maintain a hotline and a Migrants 
Service Point in its Yerevan office, where visitors may ask 
questions and obtain information on trafficking.  Visitors to 
service point also receive a brochure entitled "Useful advice for 
those departing to the Russian Federation" which was published by 
the Migration Agency with support and funding from the Russian 
Migration Service. 
 
During the reporting period, representatives of the Migration Agency 
together with the Russian Migration Service continued to tour the 
regions, organizing seminars to explain to the population the 
changes in the Russian migration laws, as well the trafficking risks 
associated with illegal migration. 
 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  019.2 OF 021 
 
 
In November, the Migrations Agency organized a seminar in Yerevan 
for NGOs on the topic of Russian and Armenian Migration legislation. 
 
 
During August and November 2007, Armenian police organized 
preventive measures at all border checkpoints aimed to thwart 
trafficking in persons and drug trafficking. 
 
The police in its "02" weekly newspaper and TV program regularly 
published and aired programs on TIP. 
 
On November 7, the Migration Agency signed an agreement with UNDP to 
implement the program "Travel Safe: Pre-Migration Registration and 
Appropriate Surveys."  The program envisages the establishment of 
registration centers in Yerevan, Gyumri and Artashat where labor 
migrants will receive proper information assistance that will help 
ensure legal, secure employment abroad. 
 
In July 2007, the ILO, OSCE, and ICMPD launched the joint regional 
Anti-Trafficking Project, the main components of which are 
supporting the GOAM's implementation of the NAP; preventing 
trafficking through awareness efforts and engaging labor market 
institutions in preventive action; increasing the law enforcement 
agencies' capacity in detecting trafficking-related activities; and 
improving identification, protection and assistance to trafficking 
victims. 
 
The GOAM provides input to the second cycle of the UNDP's 
anti-trafficking project.  The project aims to develop a national 
framework to tackle the problem of human trafficking at policy and 
institutional levels, and provide direct assistance to trafficking 
victims.  The project includes capacity development of personnel 
tasked with trafficking prevention; capacity development of law 
enforcement agencies and judicial personnel who investigate, 
prosecute and make legal judgments on trafficking cases; and 
strengthening of local capacities to protect the rights of 
trafficking victims (ie, societal reintegration via victims 
assistance programs). 
 
According to UNDP, GOAM counterparts have been exceptionally helpful 
throughout the project, exhibiting dedication and commitment to the 
fruitful completion of the much-needed project. 
 
Within this project, UNDP organized anti-TIP weeks in six regions of 
the country and in Yerevan.  The public awareness campaigns differed 
from region to region, focusing on various constituencies and target 
groups, ie, local self-government officials, school students, media 
representatives, orphanage students, etc. 
 
Both law enforcement agencies and NGOs agree that public awareness 
of sexual trafficking has risen significantly as a result of such 
projects, and the increased awareness has prevented a greater rise 
in trafficking victims. 
 
¶37. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section C of 
reftel paragraph 30. 
 
-- What is the relationship between government officials, NGOs, 
other relevant organizations and other elements of civil society on 
the trafficking issue? 
 
Both government bodies, especially law enforcement agencies, and 
international and local organizations involved in anti-trafficking 
efforts consistently cite good levels of cooperation.  UMCOR gives 
particularly high scores to the MLSA and the Ministry of Health. 
And in return, law enforcement officials have lauded the role that 
NGOs such as Hope and Help play in assisting trafficking victims. 
 
The interagency working group welcomes the input of NGOs in this 
field. 
 
¶38. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section D of 
reftel paragraph 30. 
 
-- Does the government monitor immigration and emigration patterns 
for evidence of trafficking?  Do law enforcement agencies screen for 
potential trafficking victims along borders? 
 
The Migration Agency monitors emigration and immigration patterns in 
general, but not specifically for trafficking. 
 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  020.2 OF 021 
 
 
Border guards do screen for potential trafficking victims at border 
checkpoints.  In most cases, however, trafficking victims' documents 
are in order, making it difficult for border guards to identify 
them.  Border guards do make a point of warning people traveling for 
employment about the potential for trafficking in persons. 
 
Border guards run a short-term victim shelter at the Bagratashen 
border crossing point with Georgia, which has the capacity to host 
victims for a day or two before referring them to appropriate care. 
¶39. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section E of 
reftel paragraph 30. 
 
-- Is there a mechanism for coordination and communication between 
various agencies, internal, international, and multilateral on 
trafficking-related matters, such as a multi-agency working group or 
a task force?  Does the government have a trafficking in persons 
working group or single point of contact?  Does the government have 
a public corruption task force? 
 
See above for information on the ministerial level council and 
interagency working group. 
 
¶40. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section F of 
reftel paragraph 30. 
 
-- Does the government have a national plan of action to address 
trafficking in persons?  If so, which agencies were involved in 
developing it?  Were NGOs consulted in the process?  What steps has 
the government taken to disseminate the action plan? 
 
In December 2007, the GOAM approved its second Anti-Trafficking 
National Plan of Action (NPA) that covers the period from 2007-2009. 
 The first Anti-TIP National Action Plan, which covered 2004-2006, 
expired in January 2007.  Although there was no NPA for most of 
2007, the GOAM's interagency working group continued its 
anti-trafficking efforts throughout the year drawing on the expired 
NPA.  Some members in the international anti-trafficking community 
voiced dissatisfaction over the drafting of the second NPA, 
asserting that the process was not inclusive and the GOAM did not 
properly analyze the first NPA for lessons learned.   (NOTE:  This 
process divided the resident international donor community to a 
certain extent on strategy.  While various multilateral and European 
voices urged delay on enactment of the revised National Plan of 
Action -- in a seemingly endless pursuit of an elusive perfect plan 
-- the U.S. Embassy spent the year pushing the GOAM to get its 
perfectly respectable draft plan in force as quickly as possible, 
and refine the fine points later.   This disunity of advice 
contributed to the GOAM's delayed enactment.  END NOTE) 
 
While the GOAM has yet to allocate funding for programs stipulated 
under the new NPA, most of the activities described therein will be 
financed by the state budget.  This makes it different from the 
first NPA where the international community financed virtually all 
anti-trafficking initiatives. 
 
¶41. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section G of 
reftel paragraph 30. 
 
-- G: For all posts:  As part of the new criteria added to the 
TVPA's minimum standards by the 2005 TVPRA, what measures has the 
government taken during the reporting period to reduce the demand 
for commercial sex acts? (see ref B, para. 9(3) for examples) 
 
Armenia is not a destination country for trafficking. 
 
¶42. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section H of 
reftel paragraph 30. 
 
-- Required of Posts in EU countries and posts in 
Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, Singapore, South 
Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong:  As part of the new criteria added to 
the TVPA's minimum standards by the 2005 TVPRA, what measures has 
the government taken during the reporting period to reduce the 
participation in international child sex tourism by nationals of the 
country? 
 
Not applicable. 
 
¶43. (SBU) This section corresponds to questions in section H of 
reftel paragraph 30. 
 
 
YEREVAN 00000244  021.2 OF 021 
 
 
-- Required of posts in countries that have contributed over 100 
troops to international peacekeeping efforts (Argentina, Australia, 
Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, 
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, 
Fiji, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, 
Hungary, 
India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, 
Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, the Netherlands, Niger, 
Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, 
Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri 
Lanka, Sweden, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United 
Kingdom, Uruguay, Zambia, and Zimbabwe): What measures has the 
government adopted to ensure that its nationals who are deployed 
abroad as part of a peacekeeping or other similar mission do not 
engage in or facilitate severe forms of trafficking or exploit 
victims of such trafficking? 
 
Not applicable. 
 
¶44. (U) Per request in paragraph 26 of reftel, the following are 
estimates of numbers of hours spent on the preparation of the TIP 
report cable by various embassy officers. 
 
Political Assistant: 70 hours. 
Political Officer: 20 hours. 
Pol/Econ Chief: 1 hours. 
A/DCM: 1 hours. 
Charge d'Affaires: 1 hours. 
 
¶45. (U) Post's trafficking POC is deputy Polchief Daniel Hastings 
(hastingsdo@state.gov). 
 
PENNINGTO