THREE CASES OF CHILDREN TRAFFICKING REGISTERED IN ARMENIA DURING THE PREVIOUS YEAR
ARMENPRESS
MAY 6,2010
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS: Three cases of children trafficking
were registered in Armenia during the previous year: the victims
are under 18 years old. Two of them have been involved in begging
and one in sexual exploitation. The latter was committed against a
17-year old girl. Representative of support and resource center of
fighting against trafficking created by the OSCE Yerevan Office and
Armenian Labor and Social Affairs Ministry David Tumasyan, today at
a joint press conference with the responsible for the OSCE Yerevan
Office democracy development program Ovsanna Babayan, pointed out
the circumstance that these three cases of children trafficking are
inner trafficking cases – that is to say, Armenian citizens have been
exploited in Armenia. He said there are sentences related to the two
cases: a person who forced begging has been sentenced to 7 years of
imprisonment and the sexual exploiter to 7 years and 6 months. The
third case is still waiting for sentence.
By the way, the resource center has been established in 2008 and during
its activity is cooperating with NGOs and the state. The center is
also participating in the order connected with the solution of the
issues of with the victims. It also partakes in trials.
Since the past year extended studies have launched with "People in
Need" as well as different NGOs connected with children’s trafficking.
Tumasyan said vulnerability of trafficking is agreed both with
financial as well as with social-economic features. In Armenia the
most vulnerable are mainly women and children.
Ovsanna Babayan said that the OSCE Yerevan Office has started dealing
with issues on fighting against trafficking from 2004 and the works
have intensified from 2006. She said cooperation has been established
with those international establishments which are involved in this
sphere and with state and non-governmental organizations. O. Babayan
said that particularly during the recent years fighting against this
evil has intensified on the state level too.