Cablegate: Armenia 2010 Trafficking in Persons Report Submission

VZCZCXRO4296

RR RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHSK RUEHVK RUEHYG

DE RUEHYE #0105/01 0571405

ZNR UUUUU ZZH

R 261405Z FEB 10

FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0063

RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC

RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC

RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC

RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC 0657

RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE

RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0770

RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0619

RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1900

RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 0849

RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 0001

RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 0001

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 28 YEREVAN 000105

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR G/TIP, G-LAURA PENA, INL, DRL, PRM AND EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: KTIP KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD PREF ELAB KMCA PGOV

PREL, AM

SUBJECT: ARMENIA 2010 TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT SUBMISSION

REF: A) SECSTATE 2094

B) 09 YEREVAN 135

C) 09 YEREVAN 263

D) 09 YEREVAN 494

E) 09 YEREVAN 259

F) 09 YEREVAN 300

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SUMMARY

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1. (SBU) This cable represents Embassy Yerevan's submission for the

tenth annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, which covers

events from mid-February 2009 through mid-February 2010. Paragraphs

5 to 52 are keyed to the information requested in reftel A.

2. (SBU) During the reporting period, the GOAM continued to

demonstrate sustained momentum in strengthening its efforts to

combat trafficking in persons, matching words with concrete actions.

Criminal prosecution of suspected traffickers increased, as did the

severity of the punishments meted out, and there were no suspended

sentences or early releases of traffickers. The GOAM undertook

extensive anti-trafficking public awareness activities of its own,

and actively participated in or leveraged those sponsored by foreign

donors. The GOAM also initiated, sponsored, supported, or

participated in wide-ranging anti-trafficking trainings that

benefitted public servants in law enforcement, social services,

border controls, and overseas diplomatic missions.

3. (SBU) The initial review of the National Referral Mechanism

resulted in proposed changes in the provision of assistance that

could result in more substantive aid to victims, and changes to a

governmental decrees for the first time identified trafficking

victims as eligible for free state-provided medical care. Changes

to the criminal code increased the minimum punishment for

traffickers from three to five years. Law enforcement and judicial

personnel also showed a significantly improved attitude towards

victims, which was borne out by their sensitive treatment during

court proceedings. In spite of a severe economic crisis in Armenia

and draconian cuts in social spending, the GOAM in its 2010 budget

continued to allocate substantial monies to its anti-TIP efforts,

including a significant increase over 2009 in funding for assistance

to trafficking victims.

4. (SBU) There appeared to be strong and growing collaboration

between the GOAM, local organizations, and foreign donors in their

collective fight against trafficking in persons, with a demonstrable

increase in transparency and collegiality between law enforcement

personnel and the local NGOs that assist trafficking victims. For

the third year in a row, there were no reported cases of

trafficking-related corruption. The criminal case that was reopened

in late 2008 into the escape by a convicted trafficker in 2006 with

the aid of corrupt officials produced no breakthroughs, however,

with the GOAM actively pursuing the extradition of the trafficker

from Uzbekistan where she was located in late 2009 following a legal

aid request by Armenian law enforcement in August 2009.

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THE COUNTRY'S TIP SITUATION

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5. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section A of

reftel A paragraph 25.

-- What is (are) the source(s) of available information on human

trafficking? What plans are in place (if any) to undertake further

documentation of human trafficking? How reliable are these

sources?

There are a number of sources on information on TIP in the country:

- The law-enforcement bodies and other government agencies that

provide official statistics and information on specific trafficking

criminal cases, including on indictments;

YEREVAN 00000105 002 OF 028

- The members of the Ministerial Council to Combat Trafficking in

Persons (Anti-TIP Council) and the Inter-Agency Working Group

against Trafficking in Persons (Anti-TIP WG) are also valid sources

of information. The Anti-TIP WG, according to its mandate, prepares

semi-annual and annual reports on its activities and submits them to

the Council, which is chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and whose

members are made up of government ministers. These reports are also

distributed among all stakeholders.

- The Anti-Trafficking Support and Resource Unit (ATSRU), which

continued to operate throughout the reporting period at the premises

of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MoLSA), with funding

from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

The ATSRU was very active during the year, regularly preparing and

distributing factual and analytical reports on a number of issues

including victim assistance, victim profiling, trial monitoring,

current anti-TIP programs, etc. ATSRU also did an excellent job

keeping the anti-TIP community informed on upcoming events, trials

and media coverage.

- International organizations, such as OSCE, ILO (International

Labor Organization) and UNDP (United Nations Development Program),

and others which provide information related to various anti-TIP

programs in the field, as well as governmental activities on the

policy level. The international organizations, however, do not

possess information on specific TIP cases or the situation on the

ground;

- Local NGOs that work with TIP victims, such as Hope and Help,

UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) and Democracy Today,

which provide information on specific cases, victims' stories, and

government efforts to assist victims;

- In the period from July through December 2009, the National

Statistical Survey, with the financial and expert support of the

ILO, conducted a Household Survey on Migration and Forced Labor.

According to the ILO the main objective of the survey is to

understand and quantify trafficking in migrants from Armenia. In

particular, the study aims at understanding the various patterns of

trafficking in migrants, the mechanisms of recruitment, the means of

deception, the means of coercion, or more generally the working

conditions of migrants in the various countries of destination and

sectors of activity. Particular attention will be paid to the

situation of women migrants. The survey was conducted in over 5,000

households. The survey results were being summarized at the time of

submission of this report. Post will send a septel on the survey

findings once they become available.

- The Armenian Association of Social Workers, with the support of

the Children Support Center Foundation (CSCF), is also currently

summarizing the results of a survey sponsored by the Czech

organization "People in Need," which is aimed at ascertaining the

awareness and susceptibility of children to trafficking risks. The

survey was conducted from October to December 2009 and included

quantitative research with 1,200 households and more in-depth

research with 800 children. Post will send a septel on the survey

findings once they become available.

6. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section B of

reftel A paragraph 25.

-- Is the country a country of origin, transit, and/or destination

for men, women, or children subjected to conditions of commercial

sexual exploitation, forced or bonded labor, or other slave-like

conditions? Are citizens or residents of the country subjected to

such trafficking conditions within the country? If so, does this

internal trafficking occur in territory outside of the government's

control (e.g. in a civil war situation)? From where are people

recruited or from where do they migrate prior to being subjected to

these exploitative conditions? To what other countries are people

trafficked and for what purposes? Provide, where possible, numbers

or estimates for each group of trafficking victims. Have there been

any changes in the TIP situation since the last TIP Report (e.g.

changes in destinations)?

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Armenia is a source 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 for labor. During the year an Armenian court

also handed down a sentence in a trafficking case in which female

victims underwent labor exploitation in Turkey. There were no

reports of male TIP victims undergoing labor exploitation in

Turkey.

During the year the trial of two Russian traffickers who allegedly

exploited Russian trafficking victims as striptease dancers in local

night clubs, was still in process (ref D). In cooperation with

Russian law enforcement, Armenian police identified 11 more victims

in this case (all of whom were already in Russia), bringing the

total number of victims of the alleged traffickers to 24. The

written testimonies of the newly discovered victims were used in

court proceedings.

There were also cases of internal trafficking reported during the

year, in territory within the government's control. In particular,

one of the new TIP cases launched by police involved an adult female

victim who was forced into prostitution by a partner. In April 2009

the court sentenced to 7 years in prison a trafficker who had forced

5 boys into begging (ref C). The trial of the former deputy

director of a special needs school who was accused of forcing into

begging two minor boys and sexually assaulting a third boy was still

in progress. (Note: Ref B contains information on both of the forced

begging cases that were discovered in 2008. Both cases were

initially launched under the criminal statute proscribing

involvement of children into anti-social activities, and later were

requalified into trafficking -- one in 2008, the other in 2009. End

note.).

According to official statistics, during the calendar year 2009

there were 60 new victims of trafficking identified as such within

criminal cases launched under the relevant trafficking articles of

the criminal code:

- 11 women were the new Russian victims who had been trafficked into

Armenia by the two Russian traffickers who exploited them as

striptease dancers in Armenian night clubs.

- 14 women were Armenian victims who had undergone sexual

exploitation in Turkey;

- 13 women were Armenian victims who had undergone sexual

exploitation in the UAE;

- 16 (three Armenian women and 13 Armenian men) underwent labor

exploitation in Russia;

- 1 Armenian woman was a victim of internal sexual exploitation;

- and 5 were Armenian minor boys who were forced into begging.

During the reporting period two NGOs that assist TIP victims -- Hope

and Help and UMCOR -- sheltered a total of 23 victims, most of whom

were included in the figure above. (Note: During calendar year 2009

the number of victims sheltered by NGOs was 26. End Note.)

There were no significant changes in trafficking destinations.

Local interlocutors (both NGOs and law enforcement representatives)

claimed that the number of victims of sexual exploitation -- who had

been trafficked to Turkey and the UAE and who had been recruited or

victimized in the past couple of years -- appeared to have declined.

A prosecutor dealing with TIP cases suggested that this could be

the result of the drastically increased punishments for traffickers

and new public awareness activities undertaken by the government.

7. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section C of

reftel A paragraph 25.

-- To what kind of conditions are the trafficking victims

subjected?

According to various accounts, victims in Turkey and the UAE are

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deprived of their documents, cannot leave the place where they are

kept, do not have control or cannot make decisions over their

bodies, are threatened with murder, rape and other physical abuse or

to be sold into even worse conditions to other pimps. They are

beaten, raped, and physically abused for disobedience, and assessed

with constantly growing debts that must be repaid to traffickers.

In many cases the pimps sell the victims to one another. Victims

are afraid to go to the police due to their illegal status. In the

case of trafficking of victims to Russia for labor exploitation,

according to various accounts the victims are kept in very grave

conditions, are underfed, overworked, subjected to physical violence

and threats thereof, threatened to be turned over to police, and

undergo other forms of psychological pressure. (Note: One of the

male labor victims assisted by the NGOs has contracted drug

resistant TB as a result of his victimization, and is currently in

very grave condition. End Note.) In some, perhaps numerous cases,

the social conditions that the victims encounter are better than

their economic situation in Armenia, and therefore they endure the

exploitation and sometimes return to the destination countries and

endure such exploitation even when they know they could possibly be

trafficked again.

8. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section D of

reftel A paragraph 25.

-- Vulnerability to TIP: Are certain groups of persons more at risk

of human trafficking (e.g. women and children, boys versus girls,

certain ethnic groups, refugees, IDPs, etc.)? If so, please specify

the type of exploitation for which these groups are most at risk.

Trafficking victims overwhelmingly come from impoverished

communities; the common factor among the vulnerable groups is

poverty and the lack of socio-economic opportunities. Mira

Antonian, the head of Children Support Center Foundation, shared a

disturbing observation that their surveyors had encountered during

the survey on children's awareness of TIP. While showing a good

level of awareness on the existence of exploitative labor

conditions, the children indicated that they would agree to any kind

of exploitative work conditions offered to them in order to improve

the social condition of their families. According to other

observers this attitude is found among adults as well.

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, as well as persons with disabilities, including

mental disabilities. Girls and boys in difficult social conditions,

or who have undergone abuse in their families, are also a risk

group. Labor traffickers take advantage of unemployed or seasonal

workers from poverty-stricken communities, especially in rural

areas.

9. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section E of

reftel A paragraph 25.

-- Traffickers and Their Methods: Who are the

traffickers/exploiters? Are they independent business people?

Small or family-based crime groups? Large international organized

crime syndicates?

The traffickers are pimps, mostly women and usually Armenian

citizens residing in the UAE and in Turkey, each of whom has

established networks of recruiters and other facilitators on various

issues (e.g. preparing false documents, arranging transportation,

etc). In some cases the Armenian traffickers have acquired the

citizenship of the destination country (usually by marriage), which

makes their extradition virtually impossible. This is especially

true of cases in Turkey. 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

pimping) have very good connections in the destination and transit

countries, and usually have local partners - boyfriends or husbands

- who help them. In some of the cases the traffickers were members

of the same family, i.e., they operated with the help of siblings.

Armenian law enforcement bodies have begun to prosecute traffickers

YEREVAN 00000105 005 OF 028

as organized criminal groups (if there is more than one trafficker)

and have also started to use money laundering charges when

appropriate. However, in those cases where the organized criminal

group charge was used, it referred more to groups of people who had

the same criminal intent, as opposed to criminal syndicates or mafia

groups. Hence while it is clear that the traffickers in destination

countries (i.e., Russia, UAE, and Turkey) must have some support

from local actors, there has not been a single report from any

source that Armenian traffickers are part of international crime

syndicates.

-- What methods are used to gain direct access to victims? For

example, are the traffickers recruiting victims through lucrative

job offers? Are victims sold by their families, or approached by

friends of friends? Are victims "self-presenting" (approaching the

exploiter without the involvement of a recruiter or transporter)? If

recruitment or transportation is involved, what methods are used to

recruit or transport victims (e.g., are false documents being used)?

The victims are usually approached by "friends of friends,"

neighbors or acquaintances. The recruiters usually lure victims

with promises of high wages, either to engage in prostitution or,

much less frequently, for work as nannies, care-providers or

waitresses. Though most, but not all, trafficking victims know they

are going to work as prostitutes, they are not fully aware of the

exploitative conditions in which they will work. In one case a

Turkey-based trafficker had contacted the sister of the victim (who

was unaware of her sister's situation). The trafficker told the

sister that her sister (i.e., the first victim) had become ill and

needed her help. The duped sister then went to Turkey to help her

sister and consequently fell victim to trafficking herself. The

victims in the labor trafficking case had been promised a reasonable

wage, which they never received. There are cases when victims

"self-present," i.e. they learn that their friend is going to travel

abroad for a job and want to join her/him and ask the recruiter to

arrange for their employment as well. Traffickers also encouraged

victims to become recruiters, promising them money they had already

earned but been deprived of by their traffickers or future proceeds

earned by new victims.

Those trafficked to the UAE usually fly to Dubai directly from

Yerevan, or sometimes via Moscow. According to law enforcement

bodies, in most of the current cases the victims are transported

with their real documents. The trafficking route to Turkey is via

bus through Georgia. In the case of Russia, victims fly with their

documents; there are direct flights to a number of Russian cities

and Armenian citizens do not require visas to enter Russia.

-- 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 to indicate this.

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SETTING THE SCENE FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-TIP

EFFORTS

--------------------------------------------- --

10. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section A

of reftel A paragraph 26.

-- Does the government acknowledge that human trafficking is a

problem in the country? If not, why not?

All GOAM actors who work in the field acknowledge the problem of

trafficking in the country. The lead actors in the field, in

particular the Deputy Prime Minister and law enforcement officials,

continue to demonstrate a strong commitment to combat trafficking.

11. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section B

of reftel A paragraph 26.

-- Which government agencies are involved in efforts to combat sex

and labor trafficking - including forced labor - and, which agency,

YEREVAN 00000105 006 OF 028

if any, has the lead in these efforts?

In addition to individual state agencies, there are two governmental

chains that are in charge of trafficking issues on both the

practical and policy level (ref B).

The Ministerial Council to Combat Trafficking in Persons was

established in December 2007 and is chaired by the Deputy Prime

Minister/Minister of Territorial Administration, whose approach

towards the issue of trafficking has been very proactive, decisive

and effective, and who has demonstrated the political will to match

his words with concrete actions. In addition to the Deputy PM, the

Council is comprised of the following officials: Minister of Sports

and 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,

and Head of the Migration Agency under the Ministry of Territorial

Administration (secretary of the Council). (Note: By a November 17,

2009 Presidential decree, the Migration Agency was upgraded to the

State Migration Service (SMS), and the restructuring of the agency

is currently underway. The head of the SMS continues to be the

secretary of the Ministerial Council. End note.) The Anti-TIP

Council has a broad mandate to implement, coordinate and monitor the

government's antitrafficking efforts. The Council held regular

sessions during the year and always invited the international and

NGO communities to observe; Post has attended and observed all of

the Council's sessions held during the reporting period, and at its

March 2009 session the Ambassador delivered remarks to the body,

which the Council welcomed.

The second chain is the Inter-Agency Working Group against

Trafficking in Persons (Anti-TIP WG) that organizes the ongoing

activities of the Council. The working group includes

representatives from all of the law enforcement bodies (Police,

National Security Service (NSS) including the border guard service,

Prosecutor General's Office (PG); the Migration Agency under the

Ministry of Territorial Administration; staff of the Government;

staff of the Parliament; as well as the Ministries of Foreign

Affairs; Justice; Health; Labor and Social Affairs; Economy;

Education and Science; Sports and Youth affairs; Finance; and the

National Statistical Service. The MFA has the lead in this working

group and is the main contact point for both international and local

actors. NGOs and international organizations participate actively

at the sessions of the working group, which were held regularly

during the year. The group members worked actively outside of the

regular session format as well. In particular, the group members

worked through the year on preparing the next National Plan of

Action (NPA) to cover 2010-2012, developing comprehensive changes to

the criminal code in reference to anti-TIP articles, and other

actions envisaged by the current NPA (2007-2009).

In terms of assistance to the victims, according to the National

Referral Mechanism (NRM), the key agency is the Ministry of Labor

and Social Affairs (MoLSA), which has yet to embrace its anti-TIP

mandate as proactively as it could.

The Anti-Trafficking Support and Resource Unit (ATSRU) continued to

operate within the premises of the MoLSA with funding from the OSCE.

OSCE will fund the activities of ATSRU through July 2011, following

which the unit will completely be transferred and integrated into

the MoLSA. The ATSRU, which was staffed and became fully

operational beginning from December 1, 2009, functioned based on its

mandate of a) assisting relevant national entities to combat

trafficking through improved cooperation between the Government and

NGOs; b) developing strategies for victim protection and provide

assistance to the NRM; and c) providing assistance in the drafting

of the GOAM's next National Action Plan to combat trafficking

(2010-12).

In terms of investigation of trafficking crimes, the police have the

lead. They police also play a prominent role in the NRM's

functioning.

YEREVAN 00000105 007 OF 028

12. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section C

of reftel A paragraph 26.

-- What are the limitations on the government's ability to address

these problems 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?

Lack of adequate resources, exacerbated by the ongoing economic

crisis, continues to limit the government's ability to address the

problem of trafficking. However, despite a severe economic crisis

in Armenia, and thanks to the will of the governing authorities, the

2010 budget continued to allocate substantial funding for anti-TIP

programs, with the 2010 funding for victims being significantly

increased over the 2009 level (see below for details).

Another significant limitation is the lack of staff in all agencies,

as well as the current staff's limited technical capacity, both of

which are again conditioned by limited financing. In particular,

the police indicated the lack of special investigative equipment

that would significantly broaden the scope of their investigations.

Another obstacle is the lack of experience of various officials

involved in the government's anti-trafficking efforts, a deficiency

which has gradually been addressed throughout various trainings over

the past several years.

According to the police another obstacle is the country's imperfect

legislation, which sometimes limits their ability to adequately

punish traffickers. Throughout the year the anti-TIP WG continued

to work on legal amendments to the Criminal Code, which the anti-TIP

Council approved during its February 19, 2010 session. The draft

changes still need to undergo inter-agency review and approval by

the government (Cabinet of Ministers) before being presented to the

Parliament for approval and enactment. The proposed amendments to

the Criminal Code will address a number of issues, including

harmonizing the Criminal Code articles on involvement of children in

prostitution and other types of exploitation; criminal punishment

for those who use the services of trafficking victims, etc.

Another continuous problem is that labor migration is not

regularized.

The overall phenomenon of corruption inside the government apparatus

could also be limiting the GOAM's ability to better combat

challenges such as trafficking. However, no reports of

trafficking-related corruption were reported during the reporting

period, making this reporting period the third in a row that

trafficking-related corruption has not been observed.

The law enforcement agencies, as well as representatives from the

MFA, told Post that another serious obstacle is the low level of

anti-TIP cooperation with Russia, Georgia, the UAE and Turkey,

although there appeared to be progress in the level and quality of

cooperation with Russia and the UAE during the reporting period.

Armenian police reported one example of successful cooperation with

Russian law enforcement bodies, in the case of the Russian

traffickers. In the case of Turkey, the main reason is the lack of

diplomatic relations; this, however, has not prevented the GOAM from

seeking to initiate cooperation with Turkey. According to law

enforcement bodies, Armenia received virtually no cooperation from

Georgia on trafficking cases.

13. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section D

of reftel A paragraph 26.

-- To what extent does the government systematically monitor its

anti-trafficking efforts (on all fronts -- prosecution, victim

protection, and prevention) and periodically make available,

publicly or privately and directly or through regional/

international organizations, its assessments of these

anti-trafficking efforts?

The government's Inter-Agency Working Group against Trafficking in

Persons (Anti-TIP WG) is the main monitoring body. It has a

reporting mechanism under which every group member, as well as local

and international organizations, present summaries of the activities

YEREVAN 00000105 008 OF 028

of their agency in the area for a specific period. This reporting

mechanism covers all fronts -- prosecution, victim related

information, budget spending, etc. The interagency working group,

according to its mandate, prepares semi-annual and annual reports on

its activities based on the information above, and submits it to the

Ministerial Council to Combat Trafficking in Persons, after which

the reports are circulated among stakeholders. The Anti-TIP WG and

Council members, as well as representatives of the law enforcement

bodies, also periodically brief the mass media (through interviews,

talk shows, etc.) on the progress they are making in combating TIP.

14. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section E

of reftel A paragraph 26.

-- What measures has the government taken to establish the identity

of local populations, including birth registration, citizenship, and

nationality?

The Passports and Visas Department of the Police provides birth

certificates at the birth of a child, which includes information on

the parents of a child and their nationality and citizenship. Once

children turn 16 they receive passports which indicates citizenship

and nationality. The passports also include information on

registration (i.e., residence) of a person -- either permanent or

temporary.

15. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section F

of reftel A paragraph 26.

-- To what extent is the government capable of gathering the data

required for an in-depth assessment of law enforcement efforts?

Where are the gaps? Are there any ways to work around these gaps?

The government is capable of gathering data required for an in-depth

assessment of all its law-enforcement efforts. To improve these

efforts, with the support of international organizations the GOAM is

currently working on creating two databases: one for victim data

collection to be located under the Ministry of Labor and Social

Affairs, and the other for trafficker data collection to be based in

the police. (Note: Currently there are negotiations underway between

the various agencies whether to allow the police to have access to

the MoLSA database. End Note.)

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INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS

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16. (SBU) In reference to questions A though D of paragraph 27 the

answers mostly repeat information from Post's submissions for

earlier annual TIP reports. There has been one amendment to the

criminal statues proscribing trafficking, which is described below.

17. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section A

of reftel A paragraph 27.

-- Existing Laws against TIP: Does the country have a law or laws

specifically prohibiting trafficking in persons -- both sexual

exploitation and labor? If so, please specifically cite the name of

the law(s) and its date of enactment and provide the exact language

[actual copies preferable] of the TIP provisions. 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). Does

the law(s) cover both internal and 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??

Articles 132 and 132-1 of Armenia's Criminal Code cover all aspects

of human trafficking - labor and sexual, internal and

transnational:

- Article 132 - Recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or

receipt of persons with the aim of exploitation; and

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- Article 132-1 - Engagement of other persons in prostitution or

other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, or

slavery or practices similar to slavery.

On November 18, 2009 the parliament adopted changes to these

articles. President Serzh Sargsian signed the changes into law on

December 12, 2009, which then took effect on January 2, 2010.

According to those changes the criminal punishments envisaged by

Article 132 were increased bringing them up to match with the

punishments envisaged by Article 132-1. Hence, according to the

November changes in Article 132, the minimum punishment increased

from 3-6 years of imprisonment to 5-10 years; the punishment for

trafficking of minors (as one of the aggravating factors) increased

from 7-10 years of imprisonment to 7-12 years. Therefore now the

minimum punishment for trafficking as envisaged under both statutes

is five years imprisonment. Changes to both statutes also

stipulated confiscation of the trafficker's assets as a form of

punishment, and exempted trafficking victims from criminal

prosecution for crimes they were forced to commit as a result of

their victimization, provided the victims supported the

investigation of these crimes.

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. According to prosecutors who prosecute TIP

cases, some victims in the 2009 cases were planning to seek civil

damages once the criminal cases against their traffickers were to

come to an end. The Labor Code includes articles prohibiting forced

labor, abuse of workers, and employment of children.

18. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section B

of reftel A paragraph 27.

-- Punishment of Sex Trafficking Offenses: What are the prescribed

and imposed penalties for the trafficking of persons for commercial

sexual exploitation, including for the forced prostitution of adults

and the prostitution of children?

Only incarceration can be imposed upon convicted traffickers, i.e.,

penalties that do not impose incarceration, such as fines or

corrective labor, are inapplicable to trafficking cases.

Under the Criminal Code the applicable prison term is from five to

15 years, depending on the aggravating circumstances. These

sentences are commensurate with those for rape. (See below under

law enforcement statistics for actual information on sentences).

19. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section C

of reftel A paragraph 27.

-- Punishment of Labor Trafficking Offenses: What are the

prescribed and imposed penalties for labor trafficking offenses,

including all forms of forced labor? If your country is a source

country for labor migrants, do the government's laws provide for

criminal punishment -- i.e. jail time -- for labor recruiters who

engage in recruitment of workers using knowingly fraudulent or

deceptive offers with the purpose of subjecting workers to compelled

service in the destination country? If your country is a

destination for labor migrants (legal/regular or illegal/irregular),

are there laws punishing employers or labor agents who confiscate

workers' passports or travel documents for the purpose of labor

trafficking, switch contracts without the worker's consent as a

means to keep the worker in a state of compelled service, or

withhold payment of salaries as means of keeping the worker in a

state of compelled service??

The trafficking statues of the criminal code are equally applicable

to sexual and labor trafficking cases. Armenia is a source country

for labor migrants, and the trafficking statutes of the criminal

code are also applicable for labor recruiters who engage in

YEREVAN 00000105 010 OF 028

recruitment of workers using knowingly fraudulent or deceptive

offers with the purpose of subjecting workers to trafficking in the

destination country.

20. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section D

of reftel A paragraph 27.

-- What are the prescribed penalties for rape or forcible sexual

assault?

The prescribed penalties for rape and forcible sexual assault are

from 3 to 15 years of imprisonment depending on the aggravating

circumstance.

21. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section E

of reftel A paragraph 27.

-- Law Enforcement Statistics: Did the government take legal action

against human trafficking offenders during the reporting period? If

so, provide numbers of investigations, prosecutions, convictions,

and sentences imposed, including details on plea bargains and fines,

if relevant and available. Please note the number of convicted

trafficking offenders who received suspended sentences and the

number who received only a fine as punishment. Please indicate

which laws were used to investigate, prosecute, convict, and

sentence traffickers. Also, if possible, please disaggregate

numbers of cases by type of TIP (labor vs. commercial sexual

exploitation) and victims (children under 18 years of age vs.

adults). What were the actual punishments imposed on convicted

trafficking offenders? Are they serving the time sentenced? If not,

why not?

The GOAM reporting system runs by calendar years, hence, the

following statistical information refers to 2009 calendar year.

During 2009 the police investigated 15 criminal cases under

trafficking statutes (132 and 132-1) charging 10 new suspects in

connection with those criminal cases. (Note: The National Security

Service investigated another criminal case, but suspended it early

on. The GOAM did not provide details on that case and did not

include this case in its statistics. End note.)

Seven of the 15 cases investigated by police were transferred from

2008; three of the 15 cases were re-launched from previous years;

one case was initially launched under a criminal code article

prosecuting involvement of children in anti-social activities and

was later re-qualified as trafficking; and four were totally new

criminal cases. (Note: Please note that some of the cases that were

launched in February 2009 Post reported in ref B. End Note.)

- In two of these 15 cases Turkey was the destination country where

women were subjected to sexual trafficking.

- In six of these 15 cases the UAE was the destination country where

women were subjected to sexual trafficking.

- In three of the 15 cases victims (man and women) underwent labor

exploitation in Russia.

- One case referred to the investigation of the two Russian

traffickers who exploited victims as exotic dancers in local night

clubs. The investigation of this case continued from 2008. (See

paragraph 6 and elsewhere for more details.)

- The three other cases referred to internal trafficking -- the two

forced begging cases of minors and the one case of forced

prostitution of an adult by a partner.

These 15 cases progressed as follows: two cases were dropped due to

lack of evidence; two cases were suspended until the discovery of

the traffickers; five cases were completely finished and sent to the

courts; and in the remaining six cases, the investigative body split

the cases and sent to the courts the cases against those suspects

who were caught, and suspended the rest of the case pending the

discovery of the wanted traffickers. There were no investigations

transferred to the next year.

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One of the two cases that was dropped due to lack of evidence

referred to a major labor TIP case connected with Russia (ref E).

The case was launched on the report of the 8 victims who had stated

that they had undergone labor exploitation in Russia. Russian law

enforcement bodies had conducted an investigation based on the

request of Armenian law enforcement, and responded with case

materials (witness interviews) saying that they, Russian law

enforcement, could not substantiate the accusations of trafficking.

According to Tigran Petrosian, the head of the police Anti-TIP Unit

under the Criminal Investigation Department, by Armenian law the

police was forced to take the findings of the Russian law

enforcement bodies as a basis for dismissing the case, even though

the Armenian police still considered the persons involved to be

victims of trafficking. The police subsequently referred those

victims to NGOs for victims' assistance.

During the year 12 trafficking cases went on trial. By the end of

the year the courts convicted 11 traffickers under 8 of these 12

criminal cases to prison sentences ranging from three to 13 years.

See details on the convictions below:

- On April 2, 2009 an Armenian court convicted Garik Hovhannisian to

seven years in prison for forcing 5 minor boys into begging (ref

C).

- On April 20, 2009 an Armenian court convicted four persons as

being part of an organized criminal group for trafficking Armenian

victims to the UAE (ref F). The main accomplice Anush Martirosian,

a notorious pimp long sought by the police, and two of her three

accomplices, were charged under trafficking statutes. Anush

Martirosian was sentenced to 13 years in prison; Sofia Martirosian

was sentenced to 5 years in prison; and Mariam Martikian was

sentenced to 4 years in prison. The fourth accomplice Sonia

Gabrielian was tried on charges of assisting in pimping and

attempting to bribe one of the victims during the investigation.

She was sentenced to a one year sentence and a fine of approximately

USD 520. (Note: Sonia Gabrielian's conviction is not included in the

figure of 11 total trafficking convictions above. End Note.)

-- On July 30, 2009 an Armenian court convicted Armanush Tadevosian

to 8 years in prison for forcing Armenian victims into prostitution

in the UAE.

-- On September 9, 2009, an Armenian court convicted Laura Azarian

to 9 years and her brother Gagik Karapetian to 7 and half years in

prison for labor exploitation and other forms of sexual exploitation

of Armenian victims in Turkey. One of the victims was locked in a

house and forced to do housework; later she and other victims were

taken to casino night clubs to entertain guests where they were

forced into performing oriental dances, sitting on client's laps and

allowing them to grope them. (Note: Armenian law enforcement bodies

describe the latter actions as well as strip dancing as other types

of sexual exploitation, as opposed to labor exploitation. End

note.)

-- On September 22, 2009 the court convicted Gohar Gevorgian to 5

years in prison for forcing an Armenian victim into prostitution in

the UAE.

-- On November 24, 2009, the court convicted Narine Khemchian to

three years in prison for recruiting a trafficking victim, who was

later forced into prostitution in the UAE.

-- On November 30, 2009, the court convicted Amalya Matulian to 11

years of prison and confiscation of assets gained through illegal

means on multiple charges of trafficking (for forcing Armenian

victims into prostitution in the UAE), illegal border crossing and

document forgery.

-- On December 18, 2009, another notorious pimp Marieta Muradian was

convicted to 13 years in prison for forcing Armenian victims into

prostitution in the UAE.

By the end of 2009 there were 4 criminal cases -- out of the 12

YEREVAN 00000105 012 OF 028

cases -- against 8 defendants in progress, the hearings of which

resumed in 2010. The ongoing cases included the case against the

two Russian traffickers who exploited victims as exotic dancers in

local night clubs; the case against the former deputy director of a

special school who had forced two students into begging and sexually

assaulted a third boy; one internal trafficking case when a man had

forced his then-underage female partner into prostitution; and

finally one major trafficking case against four persons who had been

trafficking Armenian victims for the purpose of sexual trafficking

over a period of many years. The main accomplice in the latter case

was Gohar Kirakosian (Kilinch), a Turkey-based pimp of ethnic

Armenian origins, and the GOAM was trying to establish cooperation

with GOT in order to prosecute her.

One more case against one defendant, accused of forcing his adult

female partner into prostitution, was transferred to the court in

the end of 2009 and the trial got underway in early 2010.

The lawyer of ATSRU monitored all of the trafficking trials. In a

report summarizing the observations for 2009, the lawyer made the

following remarks about the trial processes: the judges did not

apply mild punishments, or punishments less than those envisaged by

the TIP statutes; the judges did not requalify any charges with

others carrying milder punishments; there were no acquittals; and

victims and witnesses periodically changed their testimony under the

influence of the defendant (e.g., convincing by relatives, material

encouragement, or compassion towards the defendant). The lawyer also

made some recommendations calling for more efficient measures of

witness and victim protection, given that some victims were

threatened and insulted during trials by the defendant and his/her

relatives. The lawyer also noted that the awareness on trafficking

issues and the NRM should be increased among attorneys participating

in trafficking trials.

In the beginning of 2009, 21 traffickers were wanted by law

enforcement bodies. During the year the case against one of these

persons was dropped, and five were apprehended. Five more were

announced wanted and searched for during the year. By the end of

2009, 20 suspects were still wanted on charges of trafficking.

There are a number of articles in the Criminal Code, which according

to the police also pertain to a certain extent to trafficking, and

the police presented Post with the relevant statistics on them as

well. (Note: The proposed legal amendments -- that have been

already approved by the Council -- seek to redefine these statutes.

End Note.)

One such example is Article 168 of the criminal code on "Sale and

Purchase of Children." According to the Police they investigated 4

cases on charges of sale and purchase of children in 2009. These

cases mostly had to do with illegal practices of adoption of

children. One case involving 4 children resulted in two convictions

of 5 years, and 5 years and 6 months of imprisonment. Another case

involving one child resulted in one conviction of a five years'

suspended sentence. Another case was dropped due to lack of

evidence, and one more is still in progress.

In 2009 the GOAM investigated 45 new criminal cases on charges of

pimping (Articles 261, 262). Three of these cases involved pimping

abroad (1 case to Turkey and 2 cases to the UAE). According to the

police there was a chance that they would requalify these cases into

trafficking once they had gathered more evidence. In addition, two

of these 45 cases engaged four minors, and the police signaled that

those cases would also be requalified into trafficking as well,

pending the investigation. (Note: The anti-TIP WG wants to remove

any reference to sexual exploitation of minors from under the

statutes prosecuting pimping and to proscribe these actions only

through the application of trafficking statutes. End note.)

There were no reports of early release of traffickers.

22. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section F

of reftel A paragraph 27.

-- Does the government provide any specialized training for law

enforcement and immigration officials on identifying and treating

YEREVAN 00000105 013 OF 028

victims of trafficking? Or training on investigating and

prosecuting human trafficking crimes? Specify whether NGOs,

international organizations, and/or the USG provide specialized

training for host government officials.

During the year law enforcement and immigration officials actively

participated in trainings provided by GOAM, ATSRU, local and

international organizations. Government officials (mainly anti-TIP

WG and Council members) also actively participated themselves as

trainers in such trainings.

The MFA facilitated the participation of 25 police officers in

specialized one month training on trafficking (starting from June

22, 2009) in the Egyptian Police Academy in Egypt. The Egyptian

side funded the Armenian participants.

During the reporting period ATSRU held seminars and trainings on

national and international TIP legislation, the NRM, NGO and state

cooperation, the role of MoLSA and the police in victims assistance,

and migration issues for local representatives of regional

Children's Rights Protection Unit, State Labor Inspectorate,

Employment Service, police as well as local NGOs and mass media

representatives targeting Yerevan and most large towns in the

regions. The trainings were held in Yerevan for 26 participants, in

Vanadzor for 23 participants, in Gyumri for 26 participants, in

Kapan for 32 participants. Two more trainings were organized

jointly with UNDP -- one for 46 participants from Armavir and

Ararat, and another one for 40 participants from Gavar and Hrazdan.

In the reporting period, within a European Commission program, the

Hope and Help NGO arranged for the participation of seven Armenian

prosecutors and five socials workers in a seminar on "Child

Trafficking and Sexual Abuse" held in Tbilisi, Georgia together with

Georgian counterparts.

The Hope and Help NGO, jointly with ILO within the project on

"Development of Capacities of Law Enforcement Authorities in

prevention of Trafficking in Persons," held sensitization training

for law enforcement bodies on prevention of trafficking and forced

labor on the basis of international conventions. Two-day trainings

were held in Yerevan and four regions for police, prosecutors,

judges, and National Security Service and labor inspectors. A

total of 82 participants took the training, of which 65 were

representatives of law enforcement bodies. They were lectured on

national and international TIP legislation and practices, the

National Referral Mechanism, migration, and illegal labor practices.

During the reporting period UMCOR, through the USG (INL) funded

project on "Strengthening of Law Enforcement Response to Human

Trafficking," conducted the following trainings for the law

enforcement bodies:

- In April and May four two-day trainings sessions were held

entitled "The Role of Law Enforcement in Combating Human

Trafficking." A total of 46 police officers from the Main

Investigation Department, Yerevan city Investigation Department, 8

districts of Yerevan city, as well as 10 Regional Investigation

Departments participated in the training. The training curriculum

consisted of two parts - theoretical and practical. The theoretical

part was conducted by the UMCOR Consultant and UN Special Rapporteur

on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, and the practical part was led by

the Head of the Anti-TIP Unit of the Police Department and Deputy

Head of Investigation of Special Importance Cases Department of the

Main Investigation Department of the Armenian Police.

- 15 representatives of Police Departments from Yerevan city and 6

Armenian regions (Ararat, Aragatsotn, Gegharkunik, Tavush, Vayots

Dzor, and Syunik) participated in the Training of Trainers course,

which included discussion of previous training materials, new legal

trends in the field, review and discussion of "Human trafficking"

informational video film, changes in the Armenian Criminal Code,

National Referral Mechanism, William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims

Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 of the US Congress, Council

of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Persons,

investigation methodology, etc.

YEREVAN 00000105 014 OF 028

- In collaboration with the Department of the Fight Against

Organized Crime and Main Investigation Department of the Armenian

Police, UMCOR organized three one-day roundtable discussions with

participation of front-line police officers and investigators from

Yerevan and the regions. The aim of the roundtables was to identify

gaps in data collection and to develop ways to improve cooperation

between front-line police officers and investigators. Overall, 24

front-line police officers and 23 investigators from the

abovementioned groups participated (with the roundtables aimed at

enhancing cooperation between police and investigators during the

investigation process of trafficking cases).

- Within the same project INL organized a training for a total of 21

law-enforcement officials from the Police Anti-Trafficking

Department, Police Illegal Migration Department, National Security

Service, regional and Yerevan-based investigators) by international

trainers -- representatives of the U.S. Immigration and Customs

Enforcement (ICE). The aim of the trainings was an exchange of

international experience on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

operations, as well as presentation of Best Practices in

investigation of Trafficking in Persons, Human Smuggling and Illegal

Migration Cases.

Trafficking is included in the curriculum of all the specialized

educational facilities of the law enforcement bodies.

The Ministry of Justice continued during the year to hold training

courses on prevention of trafficking, prosecution, and victims and

witness protection in the Legal Institute of the MoJ which trains

the workers of the services carrying out mandatory enforcement of

judicial and criminal acts.

In March, 2010 the UNDP will launch a computer-based training center

at the Prosecutor General's School. The center will be used by the

police, judges and potentially customs officials in addition to

prosecutors. UNDP will install in this training center the

computer-based training course on organized crime in Russian

(consisting of 80 modules) developed by the UN Office of Drugs and

Crimes.

During the year UNDP, jointly with OSCE and ILO, reviewed the

Training Manual on Combating Human Trafficking for Law Enforcement

Agencies based on comments of the MFA, and further circulated the

draft among various specialized schools (Police Academy, School of

Prosecutors, School of Judges, Union of Advocates) for their

assessment. When ready the manual will used by these schools for

training of relevant law enforcement personnel.

During the year UNDP also developed training manuals for front line

police officers on identification and investigation of

trafficking-related cases. Once the manuals are published (expected

by the end of February, 2010) the police will use them during its

internal training programs.

23. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section G

of reftel A paragraph 27.

-- Does the government cooperate with other governments in the

investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases? If possible,

provide the number of cooperative international investigations on

trafficking during the reporting period.

There have been no joint international investigations on trafficking

during the period; however, in a number of cases the GOAM has

solicited with varying degrees of success the assistance/cooperation

of foreign governments in investigations of specific cases. These

mostly referred to cooperation on specific cases with Russian law

enforcement bodies. (See references above.)

Even though there are no diplomatic relations with Turkey, the GOAM

tries to initiate cooperation with Turkey through Interpol and the

Armenian and Turkish Embassies in Georgia. Currently the GOAM is

translating into Turkish case materials to be sent to Turkey

requesting the prosecution of a notorious pimp named Gohar (Kilinch)

Kirakossian (ref B).

YEREVAN 00000105 015 OF 028

According to Armenian law-enforcement bodies the level of

cooperation with the UAE is still very weak. However, on December

5, 2009 the GOAM signed a bilateral memorandum of understanding with

the United Arab Emirates on combating trafficking in persons, and is

hopeful that this agreement will promote cooperation with the UAE.

The GOAM negotiated two deportations of wanted traffickers from the

UAE during the year.

All GOAM reps were unhappy about the level of cooperation with

Georgia, due to unwillingness from the Georgian side.

24. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section H

of reftel A paragraph 27.

-- Does the government extradite persons who are charged with

trafficking in other countries? If so, please provide the number of

traffickers extradited

during the reporting period, and the number of

trafficking extraditions pending. In particular, please report on

any pending or concluded extraditions of trafficking offenders to

the United States.

There have been no reported cases of extraditions either to or from

the country in the reporting period.

The GOAM, as a result of the activities of the MFA consular section

and the police, was able to negotiate the deportation of two wanted

traffickers from the UAE, who were then apprehended at the Armenian

border. According to law enforcement bodies, bureaucratically it is

much easier to facilitate deportation of wanted traffickers than

extradition.

25. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section I

of reftel A paragraph 27.

-- Is there evidence of government involvement in or tolerance of

trafficking, on a local or institutional level? If so, please

explain in detail.

For the third reporting period in a row, there has been no evidence

of government involvement in, or tolerance of trafficking. In the

case of the convicted ethnic-Armenian Uzbek trafficker Anush

Zakharyants (ref B) who escaped Armenia in 2006 with the assistance

of corrupt officials, the criminal investigation into her escape

that was reopened in December 2008 continued throughout the

reporting period without any breakthroughs. As for its attempts to

recapture Zakharyants, the government submitted a request for legal

aid in August, 2009 to Uzbek law enforcement bodies; on October 5,

2009 Uzbek law enforcement bodies informed the GOAM that they had

located and interrogated Zakhariants in the status of a witness. On

December 14, 2009 the Armenian Prosecutor General's Office requested

that Uzbekistan extradite Zakharyants to Armenia. By the time of

the submission of this report, the extradition request remained

pending.

26. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section J

of reftel A paragraph 27.

-- If government officials are involved in human trafficking, what

steps has the government taken to end such complicity? Please

indicate the number of government officials investigated and

prosecuted for involvement in trafficking or trafficking-related

criminal activities during the reporting period. Have any been

convicted? What sentence(s) was imposed? Please specify if

officials received suspended sentences, or were given a fine, fired,

or reassigned to another position within the government as

punishment. Please indicate the number of convicted officials that

received suspended sentences or received only a fine as punishment.

For the third reporting period in a row, there were no new cases of

the involvement of government officials in trafficking. See above

for an update on the 2006 Anush Zakhariants case.

27. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section K

of reftel A paragraph 27.

YEREVAN 00000105 016 OF 028

-- 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 engaged in or facilitated severe forms

of trafficking or who exploited victims of such trafficking.

There have been no reported cases of Armenian international peace

keepers being engaged in or having facilitated severe forms of

trafficking or who exploited victims of such trafficking.

28. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section L

of reftel A paragraph 27.

-- If the country has an identified problem of child sex tourists

coming to the country, what are the countries of origin for sex

tourists? How many foreign pedophiles did the government prosecute

or deport/extradite to their country of origin? If your host

country's nationals are perpetrators of child sex tourism, do the

country's child sexual abuse laws have extraterritorial coverage

(similar to the U.S. PROTECT Act) to allow the prosecution of

suspected sex tourists for crimes committed abroad? If so, how many

of the country's nationals were prosecuted and/or convicted during

the reporting period 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 the country.

------------------------------------

PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS

------------------------------------

29. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section A

of reftel A paragraph 28.

-- What kind of protection is the government able under existing law

to provide for victims and witnesses? Does it provide these

protections in practice?

According to Prosecutors there are no real mechanisms for

implementing the provisions of the Criminal Procedural Code on

Protection of Victims and Witnesses, with the lack of funding and

technical capabilities being the main limiting factors.

In practice, however, the authorities have taken some measures to

protect the victims, such as allowing the testimony of victims to be

received in court without always requiring the victims' face-to-face

in-court presence. Additionally, the victims may have their own

attorney present at the trial, as well as an escort, which

appreciably aids their peace of mind and well being. Moreover,

based upon trial observations by USG personnel, the judges and

prosecutors of Armenia have been very respectful of the trafficking

victims and sensitive to their situation.

The lawyer of the ATSRU, who has been monitoring almost all TIP

trials, in an annual report reviewing the course of these trials

from the point of view of the protection of victims' interests,

welcomed that over the past year the law-enforcement bodies took

some concrete measures to protect the witnesses/victims. In

particular the report noted that an official warning was presented

to a person who had threatened the victim in connection with the

victims' testimony, and in another case the police would escort and

provide transportation to the victim. The report also noted that

since there was no official body designated with victims/witness

protection, it was the Police Anti-TIP unit under the criminal

investigation department who took upon themselves responsibility,

although it did not constitute part of their regulatory

responsibilities.

Reacting to the concerns of an NGO about the need for better victim

protection that was expressed during the February 19, 2010 session

of the Ministerial Council to Combat Trafficking in Persons, Deputy

Prime Minister Armen Gevorgian instructed the Ministry of Justice to

come up with concrete suggestions on fixing the problem as soon as

possible.

YEREVAN 00000105 017 OF 028

30. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section B

of reftel A paragraph 28.

-- Does the country have victim care facilities (shelters or drop-in

centers) which are accessible to trafficking victims? Do foreign

victims have the same access to care as domestic trafficking

victims? Where child are victims placed (e.g., in shelters, foster

care or juvenile justice detention centers)? Does the country have

specialized care for adults in addition to children? Does the

country have specialized care for male victims as well as female?

Does the country have specialized facilities dedicated to helping

victims of trafficking? Are these facilities operated by the

government or by NGOs? 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.

There are two NGO-run trafficking victims' shelters in the country

accessible for local and foreign victims, adults and children, males

and females.

The Hope and Help NGO maintains one of the shelters with USG

funding, which is not permanent and opens only when a victim needs a

safe haven. Hope and Help provides material, legal, medical, social

and psychological assistance to victims, and in addition engages the

victims in vocational training. During the reporting period, Hope

and Help sheltered and provided assistance to 10 victims (or 11

victims under the 2009 calendar year).

UMCOR runs the second shelter, which is permanent, and also provides

victims with material, legal, medical, social and psychological

assistance, and connects victims with training programs to help the

victim reintegrate into society. Throughout 2009 UMCOR's shelter

was funded directly by UMCOR's head office based in the US. During

the reporting period, UMCOR sheltered and provided assistance to 13

victims (or 15 under the 2009 calendar year). In addition to the

shelter UMCOR through funding from GTIP and the Norwegian Government

maintained during 2009 a drop-in center for TIP victims, where

initial identification of victims took place, and which provided

social, medical and legal assistance to those victims who did not

want to stay in the shelter.

UMCOR's implementer, the Democracy Today NGO, as well as the Hope

and Help NGO, maintained trafficking hotlines.

The 2009 co-funding of the UMCOR shelter (ref B) by the GOAM did not

work out due to technical reasons that had to do with funding

allocation procedures. On November 26, 2009 the GOAM -- through a

government decision -- established a procedure that would solve the

technical problems with allocation of money to the NGOs who will

provide social-psychological rehabilitation services to victims of

trafficking. The decision that came into force on December 10

envisages that there can be constant and changing expenses in

providing services to victims. This was the main problem that had

prevented the co-funding of the UMCOR shelter. The NGOs said that

they would need to maintain a shelter 24/7 even if there were no

victims constantly in it. So by this new decision the NGOs will get

reimbursed (or funded) for maintaining the shelter, and also will be

reimbursed (or funded) separately for each victim (per capita).

The GOAM allocated approximately USD 70,000 USD in its 2010 budget

for the provision of social-psychological rehabilitation services to

victims of trafficking. (Note: The anti-TIP monies that were not

spent in 2009 for these particular services were transferred to

2010, are included in the USD 70,000 figure, and were augmented by

approximately $15,000. The augmentation in the currency of dollars

paled in comparison to the augmentation in the local currency, the

dram. In 2009, for example, the GOAM allocated 16,000,000 million

drams, for these services; in 2010 this figure became 26,000,000

drams. The discrepancy in the difference between the rise in dollar

terms and dram terms has to do with the fact that the dram

dramatically devalued in one day in March 2009, by 20 percent.

GTIP: The point we're trying to make here is that the GOAM

significantly and quantitatively increased its dram outlay for

funding these services, even if the exchange rate conversion does

YEREVAN 00000105 018 OF 028

not necessarily reflect this. This increase is simply huge in the

local context. End Note.) The MoLSA hopes to sign a contract with

UMCOR by the end of February 2010 that would fund UMCOR for their

rent of the shelter (approximately USD 16,000 for the 2010 calendar

year), and the contract -- when signed -- will retroactively take

effect on February 1, 2010. The GOAM will then determine what to do

with the remaining approximately USD 54,000, with some members of

the WG already considering the possibility of buying space for

establishing a state-run shelter.

31. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section C

of reftel A paragraph 28.

-- Does the government provide trafficking victims with access to

legal, medical and psychological services? If so, please specify

the kind of assistance provided. Does the government provide

funding or other forms of support to foreign or domestic NGOs and/or

international organizations for providing these services to

trafficking victims? Please explain and provide any funding amounts

in U.S. dollar equivalent. If assistance provided was in-kind,

please specify exact assistance. Please specify if funding for

assistance comes from a federal budget or from regional or local

governments.

The government provides trafficking victims with access to legal,

medical and psychological services. According to the NRM the legal,

medical, psychological and social services are provided to the

victims by the NGOs, who had the funding in 2009 to provide those

services.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Services (through the social worker

commission tasked with advising the ATSRU) provided detailed

consultations to all the victims (or rather to NGOs regarding each

victim) on various social benefits that the trafficking victims were

eligible for, and assisted with processing paperwork.

The MoLSA also tried throughout the year to help two victims to

register their children, one of whom was born in Dubai (in a

migration prison) and the other in Turkey. The registration of

children who are born abroad is a very bureaucratic and cumbersome

procedure, and the Department on Registration of Civil Acts under

the Police had still not registered these children by end of the

reporting period. MoLSA planned to raise the issue at the WG in the

hopes of achieving some results.

After the September 3 changes to the Government Decree N318-N "On

Free Medical Aid and Servicing Guaranteed by the State" that made

TIP victims eligible for these services, the MoLSA provided referral

letters (to be processed through the Ministry of Health) to two

victims who received complete medical assistance at various

hospitals free of charge.

The GOAM, in its 2010 state budget, allocated approximately USD

6,000 to the Ministry of Health for this purpose. This is the same

amount as was allocated in the 2009 state budget, most of which was

not spent.

32. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section D

of reftel A paragraph 28.

-- Does the government assist foreign trafficking victims, for

example, by providing temporary to permanent residency status, or

other relief from deportation? If so, please explain.

Foreign TIP victims receive the same form of assistance as local

victims. According to Post's information, those victims who did not

want to leave Armenia stayed without any problems in the country and

continued to work elsewhere on the local economy.

33. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section E

of reftel A paragraph 28.

-- Does the government provide longer-term shelter or housing

benefits to victims or other resources to aid the victims in

rebuilding their lives?

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The post-shelter housing of victims and their long-term

reintegration continues to remain a serious challenge for the

government to address. The third and final stage of identification

of victims, according to the NRM, envisages the possibility of long

term housing; however, that provision remains vague and there are no

clear-cut procedures explaining how such provision should be carried

out. (Note: All the problems described in ref B paragraph 36 in

connection with non applicability of the Law on Social Assistance

towards TIP victims remain unchanged. The MoLSA hopes to fix the

problem during the coming year. End Note.)

In summer 2009 one of the victims, a graduate of an orphanage,

received an apartment through a government program that provided

housing to orphanage graduates. In spite of this instance of

housing assistance to a victim, the government program that provided

housing to orphanage graduates remained suspended, in light of a

December 2008 government audit that uncovered significant violations

in the program's implementation.

34. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section F

of reftel A paragraph 28.

-- Does the government have 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

(either government or NGO-run)?

The GOAM adopted its National Referral Mechanism (NRM) on November

20, 2008 (ref B). While NGOs have continuously expressed concerns

about the disproportionate regulatory focus of the NRM on

prosecution of traffickers (rather than on meeting the needs of

trafficking victims), the NGOs who deal with TIP victims in practice

did not report encountering any problems in connection with the NRM

implementation. According to them, the NRM, which lacks procedures

and mechanisms on how the actual assistance should be provided to

the victims, in concrete terms has yet to make drastic differences

to the manner in which they operate.

Between 2008 and the beginning of 2009, the GOAM reviewed the

implementation of the NRM in order to reveal the gaps and

shortcomings in the practical phase. The inter-agency Anti-TIP

Working Group drafted some changes based on that review, which the

Ministerial Council approved, and expects the government to approve

sometime in February or March 2010. The changes do not

comprehensively address the problems identified by the NGOs and

international organizations in the NRM; however, the changes that

have been drafted appear to be positive. One of the proposed

changes envisages an increase from 7 to 30 days that housing must be

provided to a victim in the initial stage of identification. The

other change makes it explicit that NGOs can refer victims either to

police, or the MoLSA, as opposed to both agencies which is not quite

clear from the current NRM. The third and last change is technical;

it add psychological services to the list of services provided to a

victim during the initial stage of identification -- something that

is already done but which the GOAM wanted to spell out.

In another positive development, on September 3 the GOAM made

changes to the Governmental Decision N318-N "On Free Medical Aid and

Servicing Guaranteed by the State" to include "trafficking victims"

as a separate vulnerable category to be covered by the decree.

Below is a more detailed description of the three step

identification process, and the specific type and volume of

assistance envisaged for each step in the NRM:

1) Preliminary (initial) identification takes place when the victim

has just been discovered.

The assistance to the victim at this stage includes: primary medical

aid; immediate in-kind assistance (food, clothing, sanitation etc);

legal consultancy; and, if necessary, provision of short-term

housing of maximum 7 days.

2) Intermediate identification takes place when the victim is

recognized by the investigative body as a victim (aggrieved side)

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within a criminal case prosecuted under trafficking statutes.

The assistance at this stage includes: provision of temporary

housing for up to 60 days; medical examination and aid in accordance

with the Decree N318-N "On Free Medical Aid and Servicing Guaranteed

by the State" adopted by the Government of the Republic of Armenia

on March 4, 2004; legal assistance; psychological assistance;

measures addressed to the re-integration into the society,

including, inter-alia, assistance in professional training; and

where necessary, emergency monetary assistance in the defined

amount.

3) Final identification takes place by the court when a verdict is

in place in a given criminal case. In the event where the case does

not go to court in compliance with the Criminal Procedure Code, the

decision made by the criminal prosecution body on recognizing the

person as the aggrieved shall serve as a ground for final

identification.

Final assistance shall be rendered by virtue of the final

identification based on the needs assessment of the given person,

and envisages a full package of assistance as stipulated by the Law

"On Social Assistance" of the Republic of Armenia, as well as

further measures addressed to the re-integration.

35. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section G

of reftel A paragraph 28.

-- What is the total number of trafficking victims identified during

the reporting period? (If available, please specify the type of

exploitation of these victims - e.g. "The government identified X

number of trafficking victims during the reporting period, Y or

which were victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation and Z of

which were victims of nonconsensual labor exploitation.) Of these,

how many victims were referred to care facilities for assistance by

law enforcement authorities during the reporting period? By social

services officials? What is the number of victims assisted by

government-funded assistance programs and those not funded by the

government during the reporting period?

According to official statistics during the 2009 calendar year there

were 60 victims of trafficking identified as such within criminal

cases launched under the relevant trafficking articles of the

criminal code. Of these 14 were women trafficked to Turkey where

they underwent sexual exploitation, 13 were women who were

trafficked to the UAE where they underwent sexual exploitation, 13

men and 3 women to Russia where they underwent labor exploitation,

and 11 were Russian women exploited in Armenia as striptease

dancers; and there were six victims of internal trafficking -- one

adult female who was forced into prostitution and five minor boys

who were forced into begging. According to the newly adopted

National Referral Mechanism, all 60 victims had undergone the 2nd

stage of the 3-step identification process. (Note: Per the NRM,

once the verdict is in place, or if a case is suspended, the police

prepare a document indicating that the victim has undergone final

identification and refers the victim to the NGOs and MoLSA for

further assistance. End Note.)

According to the police, during 2009 they referred 22 out of the 60

victims to NGOs, with the remaining victims refusing such assistance

(for various reasons including harvest season), or being not in the

country when they were identified as victims. According to one of

the NGOs dealing with the TIP victims, the police were not

consistent in their approach of inviting NGOs during the

identification of victims, so that the NGO representatives could

personally and directly offer services to the victims. Sometimes

they invite the NGOs, sometimes they did not. The second NGO said

that they are never asked to be present at identification, and that

they are simply called and informed that there is a victim who needs

assistance.

In the reporting period the Hope and Help and UMCOR NGOs

collectively assisted a total of 23 victims, of whom 19 were

referred to them by the police. NGOs had discovered/identified the

other 4 victims either through their hotlines, their social workers

or other NGOs. (Note: During the 2009 calendar year the NGOs

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assisted 26 victims, of whom according to them 20 were referred by

police. End note.)

36. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section H

of reftel A paragraph 28.

-- 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)?

The National Referral Mechanism is to be used in this case.

-- 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?

Prostitution is not legalized in Armenia.

37. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section I

of reftel A paragraph 28.

-- Are the rights of victims respected? Are trafficking victims

detained or jailed? If so, for how long? Are victims fined? Are

victims prosecuted for violations of other laws, such as those

governing immigration or prostitution?

The rights of the victims are respected. They are not treated as

criminals; they are not detained, jailed or deported. Victims are

not prosecuted for violations of other laws. Additionally, at TIP

trials, trafficking victims are now universally being treated with

respect and sensitivity by judges, prosecutors, and other officials.

According to the November 18, 2009 changes in the TIP statues,

trafficking victims are now exempted from criminal prosecution for

crimes they were forced to commit as a result of their

victimization, provided the victims supported the investigation of

these crimes.

38. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section J

of reftel A paragraph 28.

-- 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, according to the police all 60 victims identified by the police

have assisted in the investigation and prosecution of traffickers.

-- May victims file civil suits or seek legal action against

traffickers? Does anyone impede victim access to such legal

redress?

The victims may file civil suits and seek legal actions against

traffickers. In practice, this has been respected.

-- 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?

Not applicable.

-- Are there means by which a victim may obtain restitution?

While there is no state victim restitution program, the victims may

obtain restitution through court decisions, based on their claims

during the criminal proceedings against traffickers, or a separate

civil suit filed against the trafficker. In the latter case, the

judge may rule that the victim is entitled to seek civil damages, or

the criminal case itself can become a base for such suit. With the

exception of one labor trafficking case, the judges have not

satisfied the claims for damages in any of the trafficking cases

submitted so far.

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39. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section K

of reftel A paragraph 28.

-- 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?

Please refer to answers to paragraph 22 for this question.

-- Does the government provide training on protections and

assistance to its embassies and consulates in foreign countries that

are destination or transit countries?

According to the MFA all personnel leaving for a new

assignment/mission abroad are individually briefed on trafficking

and receive the TIP manual for Armenian consular officers abroad.

-- What is the number trafficking victims assisted by the host

country's embassies or consulates abroad during the reporting

period? Please explain the type of assistance provided (travel

documents, referrals to assistance, payment for transportation

home).

In general and as part of their mandate, all consular officers

abroad assist the return of victims who apply to them for help, by

providing them with return certificates, referring them (based on

the NRM) for further assistance, and providing them with airplane

tickets. The MFA could not provide, however, concrete numbers since

the consular officers abroad (due to severe lack of staff) do not

maintain a registration system of victims.

During the reporting period, one of the NGOs reported a case where

they had identified a victim in Dubai and where the MFA consular

section did everything it had and could do to help the return of the

victim; the victim decided at the last minute not to return,

however. The MFA had provided the victim with documents,

renegotiated with the airline a change of the departure date of the

ticket when the victim did not show up the first time, negotiated

with the border guards service on greeting her at the border without

problems, and did everything else possible to help her return.

40. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section L

of reftel A paragraph 28.

-- Does the government provide assistance, such as medical aid,

shelter, or financial help, to its nationals who are repatriated as

victims of trafficking?

Currently all the assistance to repatriated victims of trafficking

is channeled through the two existing shelters.

The GOAM continues to work with other governments on regulating

illegal migration, repatriating its citizens, and preventing

trafficking. GOAM has signed readmission agreements with Bulgaria,

Sweden, Switzerland, Lithuania, Denmark, Germany, the Benelux

countries, and Norway.

41. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section M

of reftel A paragraph 28.

-- 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?

There are numerous players in this field. The two main NGOs that

have shelters, hotlines and specific re-integration programs are

Hope and Help and UMCOR. The international organizations such as

OSCE, UNDP, ILO, and others carry out various projects on a wider

range of trafficking issues. See throughout the report for more

details.

----------

PREVENTION

----------

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42. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section A

of reftel A paragraph 29.

-- Did the government conduct anti-trafficking information or

education campaigns 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)?

(Note: This can be an especially noteworthy effort where

prostitution is

legal. End Note.)

During the reporting period various public awareness activities

(campaigns, TV programs, pres coverage, etc) were carried out, many

of which were conducted, initiated or supported by GOAM officials.

The GOAM approved several line items in its 2009 budget (ref B) for

the implementation of public awareness activities; most of this

money was spent as allocated.

The Migration Agency under the Ministry of Territorial

Administration was allocated approximately USD 16,000 for the

publication and distribution of anti-TIP brochures and leaflets.

(Note: As compared with the budget description in Ref B there

appears to be a decrease of funding; however, that is explained by

the drop in value of the local currency compared with the dollar.

End Note.) The MA in the reporting period spent half of the

allocated sum by publishing 100,000 copies of information leaflets

describing legal procedures for traveling, residing and working

abroad. The MA allocated those leaflets to various agencies for

further distribution among their beneficiaries: the State Labor

Service of the MoLSA received 10,000 copies; regional bodies

providing social services received 30,000 copies; and the

international Zvartnots airport in Yerevan received 20,000 copies to

be distributed among travelers; and various resource centers

received 40,000 copies. The Migration Agency planned to spend the

remaining money on the publication of a brochure on trafficking;

however, the Ministerial Council after some deliberations determined

that since NGOs had already extensively covered the field in this

area the money could be saved (even though the Migration Agency had

already drafted the text of the brochure and it was ready for

publication). (Note: Post considered this decision to be justified

given the severe economic crisis in the country and the drastic cuts

that had to be made to the budget during the calendar year 2009, as

well as the fact that local and international NGOs continuously

publish and distribute materials on trafficking on their own

initiative. End Note.)

In its 2009 budget, the GOAM allocated approximately USD 33,000 to

the Ministry of Youth and Sport Affairs (MYSA) for conducting

"Campaigns Among Youth to Increase Awareness on the Threat of

Trafficking" and regional workshops on "Role of Youth in Prevention

of Human Trafficking." The programs were combined and accomplished,

and the Ministry spent about 60 percent of the allocated funding.

Within this project, from July 27-30 MYSA organized a four day

training of trainers in Yerevan on the role of youth in trafficking

prevention for heads of the regional youth centers and volunteers

from all 10 regions of Armenia (for a grand total of about 40

participants). As a next step, the participants of the training

together with guest lecturers, throughout the summer and fall,

organized one- or two-day-long trainings in all the regional youth

centers for about 20 young people residing in the area.

The final stage of the MYSA public awareness project was a TV bridge

(digital video conference) between Yerevan and three regions that

was aired in the end of December on Armenia's Public TV channel that

has nationwide coverage and on three more regional TV stations. The

program brought together approximately 50 participants in Yerevan

and experts located in the TV stations in Kapan (Syunik region)

Gyumri (Shirak region) and Alaverdi (Lori region). The participants

from the government included the Deputy Minister of Sport and Youth

Affairs, the head of the Anti-TIP WG, and the head of the Anti-TIP

Police Unit. The experts and the youth participants discussed the

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issue of trafficking during the program, and among other things the

discussion focused on vulnerable/ risk groups, modes and types of

trafficking, TIP legislation, practice and actions to be taken by

entrapped victims, Armenian consular representations abroad, police

prosecution of the traffickers and cooperation with victim, NGOs

assistance, the role of the church, etc. The experts answered the

questions of the program host in a very comprehensive manner so that

the spectators could get a complete picture of what trafficking is

and understand the differences between TIP and other crimes; learn

how to behave in the difficult situation; and how to help victims of

trafficking. During the whole program the hot line numbers were on

the TV screen. The discussions were combined with small public

service announcements PSAs showing common patterns of recruiting of

victims and interviews with victims of trafficking (with altered

voice and covered face).

In the 2009 budget the GOAM allocated approximately USD 2,000 to be

spent by MoLSA for public awareness activities, including increasing

public awareness on trafficking. MoLSA spent the allocated money by

funding a program on trafficking within the "Social Hour" series.

The program was aired on November 28, 2009 on the public-private H2

TV station, and repeated once again during the following week.

In the 2010 state budget approved in December 2010, the GOAM has

once again allocated approximately USD 2,000 to be spent by MoLSA

for public awareness activities (to include trafficking awareness),

and another USD 21,000 to be spent by the MYSA on trafficking

prevention activities among youth.

In addition to the TV bridge other TV stations (as well as Armenian

Public TV) occasionally aired talk shows on trafficking and GOAM

officials actively participated in the talk shows. One such program

was called "Court Hour" aired on Armenia Public TV which was

dedicated to trafficking and broadcast in two segments on October 24

and 31, 2009. Most of the programs were aired in the evening hours

when there was a larger viewing audience.

The official TV program of the police called "02" twice aired

productions where trafficking was also discussed. The police weekly

"02" newspaper carried three publications during the year on

trafficking. During their periodic press conferences in which they

summarized police activities over a certain period, police leaders

and spokespeople always referred to the progress of anti-trafficking

activities and criminal prosecutions of trafficking cases.

From June 12-14, 2009 an intensive three day training was held on

"Sensitization Training for Journalists: Improved Media Coverage of

Trafficking Issues" that was organized by the GOAM (the Ministry of

Territorial Administration), OSCE and UNDP. The initiative of

holding such a seminar for media on TIP issues was raised at one of

the Anti-TIP Council sessions. The GOAM recruited and ensured the

participation of 20 journalists (from both print and TV media); UNDP

covered all logistical expenses; and OSCE provided materials

(guidance for media on highlighting TIP cases). Among other GOAM

representatives, the head of the Police Anti-TIP unit also held a

session on the role of the police in the fight against TIP and

presented recent statistics. The Deputy Prime Minister also

attended the training and held an hour and half off-the-record

session with journalists in which he openly discussed a number of

TIP related issues, including the outstanding case of Anush

Zakhariants. According to all local observers, the training was

critical for the journalists, who often misunderstand and

misrepresent trafficking related issues in their reporting.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), with strong

cooperation of the Ministry of Education, implemented a regional

project entitled "Secondary School Education to Contribute to the

Prevention of Trafficking in Persons in Armenia, Azerbaijan and

Georgia." The two year project, funded by the Swiss Agency for

Development and Cooperation and launched in November 2008, aims to

introduce a topic on counter-trafficking to the school curriculum.

During 2009, a student textbook, a teacher's manual, and a parent's

book including the topic was endorsed by the Ministry of Education

and piloted in 18 schools in Armenia. In addition to the relevant

school staff, 32 specialists from the regional subdivisions of the

National Institute on Education of the Ministry of Education were

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trained on this new topic.

The Migrants Support Points (MSP) in Yerevan, Gyumri and Artashat

(ref B) continued to operate with the support of the UNDP "Travel

Safe: Pre-Migration Registration and Appropriate Surveys" program

through the end of 2009. At the end of 2009 when the UNDP program

ended, the MSPs were fully transferred under the jurisdiction of the

State Migration Service (formerly the Migration Agency). In those

centers labor migrants were provided with information and assistance

when planning to travel and work abroad. UNDP, jointly with ILO,

IOM, OSCE, provided additional training to MSP staff, in order that

they provide information services to returned labor migrants as

well. UNDP also organized a one-day workshop for MSP staff on

migration trends in Armenia, as well as possible impacts of the

global financial crisis on the migration situation in Armenia. On

November 2, the UNDP organized two capacity building trainings for a

total of 42 representatives of the MSP staff, local self governing

bodies, local NGOs and mass media. The trainings were held on

November 2 and again on November 18-20, 2009.

Throughout September-November, 2009, through a UNDP grant, the

Armenian Red Cross Society, jointly with the UN Armenia Association

NGO, International Youth Bridges Foundation and Audio-Visual Reports

Association NGO, implemented a project entitled "Youth against Human

Trafficking." The main goal of the program was to raise awareness

of the Armenian population in general and youth groups in particular

on trafficking in human beings and its relation to forced labor

issues. Within this project a 5-day training of trainers was

provided to 30 young people from seven regions of Armenia and

Yerevan on TIP, project management and campaigning issues. An

educational film on the application of the National Referral

Mechanism, 2000 informational booklets, and 200 posters and

materials on the project were developed and presented in the target

seven regions and Yerevan as well as in universities and other

educational institutions. The results of the program were presented

on December 2, the "International Day for Abolition of Slavery,"

within the framework of "16 Days of Activism against Gender

Violence" organized by UNDP.

During the reporting period, UMCOR (within a UNDP project) actively

worked with MoLSA, the State Employment Agency, local social, and

the employment and youth agencies of the Shirak and Tavush regions

on the development of the provision of professional trainings to

local vulnerable youth seeking to enter the local labor market. In

Shirak region, 20 young people participated in a four-month training

course at the Gyumri Stocking Factory. The factory hired the best

students upon completion of the training and passing of

qualification exams. In Tavush region, three girls completed

trainings on hairdressing and cosmetology, while 19 young men

accomplished three and a half months of training in auto-repair at

the Ijevan State College. All participants received tools to work

on their own using their newly acquired professional skills.

In addition, a special training on trafficking-related risks and

prevention was delivered to project beneficiaries. A total of 42

young people from at-risk groups were trained in 15 occupational

specialties; 21 are currently employed, while the rest of trainees

are on waiting lists. In addition UMCOR supported 14 students in

higher educational institutions (seven from the Shirak region and

seven from the Tavush region) with one-year tuition fees. The

selection of beneficiaries was conducted in collaboration with the

representatives of regional social agencies and state youth centers.

In June, UMCOR organized roundtable discussions on youth issues

entitled "Decreasing Trafficking Risks among Youth through Provision

of Employment Opportunities." Representatives from the Ministry of

Labor and Social Issues, Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, State

Employment Agency, Armenia Employers' Republic Union, as well as

"Yerevan State University Graduates and Career Center" and local

NGOs participated. Invited experts presented the situation in

Armenia regarding youth employment, the provision of necessary

assistance to young people seeking job opportunities through

vocational training projects, organization of job fairs and

qualification improvement courses. Discussions were conducted on

issues related to trafficking risks connected with youth

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unemployment, prevention and awareness raising.

In June 2009 UMCOR, jointly with Ministry of Health, organized

one-day training for medical personnel addressing anti-trafficking

issues and the role of health personnel in combating trafficking in

Yerevan. Twenty representatives of Yerevan City Hall's health

department, Yerevan polyclinics, as well as representatives of

Regional Health Departments and Polyclinics from 4 regions (Armavir,

Kotayk, Aragatsotn, and Ararat) participated in the training.

In 2008, UMCOR, jointly with MOLSA and the ILO Office in Armenia,

had organized a one-day training of trainers for 36 representatives

of social and employment agencies on "The Role of the Social and

Labor Agencies in Combating Trafficking." UMCOR reported that

during 2009 the TOT participants continued to provide trainings in

the regions to social workers and employment agency employees.

During the reporting period UMCOR (through GTIP funding), jointly

with the Democracy Today NGO, held seminars on the issue of

trafficking for representatives of the Career Center of the Yerevan

State University.

In November UMCOR (again through GTIP funding) conducted two

anti-TIP trainings for Zvartnots airport personnel -- 20 persons who

are directly involved in passengers' registration. Main topics

discussed were the following: the phenomenon of trafficking in human

beings; TIP specifics in Armenia; profiling of vulnerable groups;

trafficking prevention; victim identification and referral. UMCOR

distributed a stock of informational flyers to the airport for

distribution to passengers during registration of flights.

In the reporting period ILO organized trafficking sensitization

training workshops and trainings for the Employers' Association of

Armenia (24 participants) and for the Children's Protection Unit of

the regional governors' offices and Yerevan (36 participants).

During the reporting period the World Vision (WV) NGO through direct

GTIP funding conducted a number of trainings to raise awareness on

trafficking of various groups. WV organized training of trainers

for 109 community guardians from 10 communities and established

community guardians groups on the following topics: definition and

description of TIP; social description of people who are vulnerable

to trafficking; factors and conditions that have led to the

trafficking of children; summary of the types of assistance

available for victims, including through the NRM; major issues

concerning protection of victims and vulnerable social groups.

Following this the community guardians groups organized trainings

for 246 community members. Together with People in Need NGO, WV

organized trainings for 18 media reps and journalism students,

focusing on investigating and reporting on trafficking. WV trained

a total of 110 teachers from 22 schools in Yerevan, Gyumri,

Stepanavan and Alaverdi on TIP issues. Also WV organized two-day

training for four social workers from Yerevan, Gyumri, Stepanavan

and Alaverdi and three-day training for seven professors/lecturers

from the Yerevan State University, Departments of Sociology and

Social Work.

-- Do these campaigns target potential trafficking victims and/or

the demand for trafficking (e.g. "clients" of prostitutes or

beneficiaries of forced labor)? (Note: This can be an especially

noteworthy effort where prostitution is legal. End Note.)

Such campaigns mostly target the victims or potential victims of

trafficking, and have a valuable prevention role.

43. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section B

of reftel A paragraph 29.

-- Does the government monitor immigration and emigration patterns

for evidence of trafficking?

The Migration Agency monitors emigration and immigration patterns in

general, but not specifically for trafficking.

44. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section C

of reftel A paragraph 29.

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-- 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?

See above for details on the ministerial level Council and the

inter-agency working group.

In February 2009 UNDP finished its work on establishing a computer

network for the Prosecutor General's office, linking all the

regional offices with the PG's office; the system was launched in

May 2009. It is hoped that the new network will facilitate

prosecutors' work on TIP cases.

45. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section D

of reftel A paragraph 29.

-- Does the government have a national plan of action to address

trafficking in persons? If the plan was developed during the

reporting period, which agencies were involved in developing it?

Were NGOs consulted in the process? What steps has the government

taken to implement the action plan?

Yes, GOAM has a national plan of action (NPA) to address trafficking

in persons, which was adopted in December, 2007. It is the second

such NPA and covers the period from 2007-2009. The GOAM is already

making plans for the following NPA for the period of 2010-2012. The

UNDP, OSCE, ILO and the International Center on Migration Policy

Development are advising the Government on the NPA, and held a

workshop November 13 to begin working on recommendations for the new

NPA.

From July 23 to 25, 2009 the WG with the financial support of UNDP

held a three day workshop/round table where the implementation of

the NPA 2007-2009 was discussed and the participants -- WG members,

local and international organizations -- identified priority areas

to be addressed by the next NPA which is currently in the drafting

stage. GOAM expects to have the draft of the new NPA ready in

March, 2010.

46. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section E

of reftel A paragraph 29.

-- Required of all Posts: What measures has the government taken

during the reporting period to reduce the demand for commercial sex

acts?

No such measures have been taken.

47. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section F

of reftel A paragraph 29.

-- Required of all Posts: What measures has the government taken

during the reporting period to reduce the participation in

international child sex tourism by nationals of the country?

No such measures have been taken. But neither were there any

reports during the reporting period to indicate the participation of

Armenian nationals in international child sex tourism.

48. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section G

of reftel A paragraph 29.

-- 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,

Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Denmark,

Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gambia,

Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jordan,

Kenya, Korea (ROK), Malawi, Malaysia, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal,

Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland,

Portugal, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain,

Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United

Kingdom, Uruguay, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe): What measures has

the government adopted to ensure that its nationals who are deployed

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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? If posts do not provide an answer to

this question, the Department may consider including a statement in

the country assessment to the effect that "An assessment regarding

Country X's efforts to ensure that its troops deployed abroad for

international peacekeeping missions do not engage in or facilitate

trafficking or exploit trafficking victims was unavailable for this

reporting period."

Armenia contributes less than 100 troops to any peace-keeping

mission abroad. However, from June 29 to July 1, Armenian

peacekeeping forces underwent TIP training with the support of the

NATO Defense College. MFA initiated and the Ministry of Defense

organized the training.

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PARTNERSHIP

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49. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section A

of reftel A paragraph 30.

-- Does the government engage with other governments, civil society,

and/or multilateral organizations to focus attention and devote

resources to addressing human trafficking? If so, please provide

details.

Please see above for examples of international cooperation. GOAM

also participates actively in international conferences devoted to

TIP, at which the Deputy Prime Minister has taken part.

50. (SBU) This paragraph corresponds to the questions in section B

of reftel A paragraph 30.

-- What sort of international assistance does the government provide

to other countries to address TIP?

Government does not provide international assistance to other

countries to address TIP.

51. (SBU) Per request in paragraph 24 of reftel A, 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: 8 hours.

RLA Officer: 1 hour.

INL Officer: 1 hour.

INL assistant: 16 hours

DCM: 1 hour.

52. (SBU) Post's trafficking POC is Political Officer Daniel

Hastings, tel 374-10-49-43-02, fax 374-10-46-47-42.

YOVANOVITCH