GOAM INVESTIGATES CLAIMS OF MENTAL HOME ABUSE,

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 000875

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/29/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM AM
SUBJECT: GOAM INVESTIGATES CLAIMS OF MENTAL HOME ABUSE,
HUMAN ORGAN SALES


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SUMMARY
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1. (C) Armenia's sensationalist press has reported
allegations of human organ sales from a state-run mental
facility in a western province of Armenia. While the
prosecutor's investigation has not turned up evidence of
organ sales, it did uncover widespread malnutrition, abuse
and medical malpractice. End Summary.


2. (C) The home, whose Armenian name translates roughly to
"Vardenis Neuropsychological Hostel," first came under
scrutiny in 2004, when the Gegharkunik regional prosecutor's
office launched an investigation into the disappearance of a
patient from the Vardenis home. More recent press reports
alleged that the home's staff is selling human organs taken
from the bodies of dead residents. Bagrat Petrosyan, an
investigator from the prosecutor general's office, told us
conditions at the mental home are awful. He said the
regional investigation found that residents were dying as a
result of malnutrition, medical malpractice and physical
abuse at the hands of the staff. Petrosyan told us that, of
350 residents, 159 have died in the last five years. The
case was transferred to the prosecutor general's office last
February. Since then, according to the office spokeswoman,
investigators have exhumed 11 bodies to look for broken bones
and evidence of malnutrition. They also are investigating
the home's financial records for evidence of embezzlement.


3. (U) The allegations of the sale of human organs came from
a letter of complaint written by residents of Vardenis to MP
Emma Khudabashyan. According to media reports, the residents
told Khudabashyan that coffins ostensibly holding the remains
of deceased mental home residents were in fact empty.
Khudabashyan brought up the matter on the floor of the
Armenian National Assembly and demanded an investigation.
After Khudabashyan's demands hit the press, the prosecutor
general's office responded, saying that the investigation was
ongoing and had not turned up any evidence of the sale of
organs. The press reported earlier this month that the
regional prosecutor's office had launched a criminal case
against the mental institution.


4. (C) Armenian human rights Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan told
us he didn't know anything about the case other than what was
reported in the press. He expressed confidence in the
prosecutor general's investigation, and added that he didn't
rule out the possibility that the press was printing rumors.
He did say that, even if the allegations were only partially
true, it was a serious problem.


5. (C) Human rights activist Misha Danielyan, who heads up
the Helsinki Committee here, said he didn't believe that
human organs were being sold in Vardenis. He said he was
skeptical mainly because he didn't believe the alleged
perpetrators had access to the equipment necessary to extract
and transport human organs in a manner that would keep them
viable for transplants.
EVANS