ARMENIA IS IN THE WATCH LIST

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[05:08 pm] 06 June, 2006

Armenia is a major 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 (U.A.E.) and
Turkey. Traffickers, many of them women, route victims directly into
Dubai or through Moscow. Traffickers also route victims to Turkey
through Georgia via bus. Profits derived from the trafficking of
Armenian victims reportedly increased dramatically from the previous
year.

The Government of Armenia does not fully comply with the minimum
standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making
significant efforts to do so. Armenia is placed on Tier 2 Watch List
for a second consecutive year because of its failure to show evidence
of increasing efforts over the past year, particularly in the areas
of enforcement, trafficking-related corruption, and victim protection.

While the government increased implementation of its anti-trafficking
law, it failed to impose significant penalties for convicted
traffickers. The government failed to vigorously investigate and
prosecute ongoing and widespread allegations of public officials’
complicity in trafficking. Victim protection efforts remained in
early, formative stages. Victim-blaming and lack of sensitivity for
victims remain a problem among Armenian officials, particularly in
the judiciary.

In 2005, the Government of Armenia increased the use of the 2003
anti-trafficking statute under Article 132, which prohibits trafficking
in persons for forced labor and sexual exploitation. However,
many courts overturned convictions handed down under Article 132,
and reduced sentences by converting the charges into lesser pimping
charges. The government continued to apply other criminal codes to
about half of its trafficking cases in 2005. During the reporting
period, the government investigated 30 trafficking cases, resulting
in 14 prosecutions and 17 convictions. While Article 132 provides
for longer sentences, penalties actually imposed continue to be
insufficient and not commensurate with those for other equally grave
crimes in Armenia. During the reporting period, only a few convictions
resulted in actual imprisonment; the remaining offenders received
suspended sentences, corrective labor and fines. Lack of public
confidence and allegations of official complicity continued to hurt
the credibility of the government’s anti-trafficking efforts.

By the way, all these facts were surveyed and published by the US
State Department.