ARMENIA'S 2009 TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 24 YEREVAN 000135



SENSITIVE



SIPDIS



DEPT FOR USAID, G/TIP, G-ACBLANK, INL, DRL, PRM AND EUR/CARC



E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: KTIP, KCRM, PHUM, KWMN, SMIG, KFRD, ASEC, PREF, ELABV, PGOV,

PREL, AM

SUBJECT: ARMENIA'S 2009 TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT



REF: (A) 2008 STATE 132759, (B) 2009 5577



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(U) SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY.



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

ninth annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, as requested by

refs A and B. Please see paragraphs 5 to 47 for responses keyed to

information requested in ref A.



2. (SBU) The Mission noted overall progress in GOAM anti-TIP efforts

during the reporting period, and saw substantive steps taken by the

GOAM in those areas persistently advocated by the Mission. Most

notably, in December 2008, authorities re-launched a criminal case

into all aspects of a 2006 trafficking case involving the complicity

of government officials; in its 2009 national budget passed in

November 2008, the GOAM for the first-time ever allocated multiple

line-item allocations - totaling more than USD 123,000 -dedicated

exclusively to anti-TIP activities, including the cost-sharing of an

NGO-run shelter for trafficking victims; and in November 2008, the

GOAM formally implemented its National Referral Mechanism after an

initial, six-month pilot stage launched in July 2008.



3. (SBU) Law enforcement agencies also appeared to devote greater

attention and importance to combating TIP, through a more vigorous

prosecution of trafficking cases (two good cases are in the courts

at this writing),the appropriate application of TIP statutes,

stronger sentencing for traffickers that was upheld, and an increase

in number of trafficking victims identified and referred to

organizations providing protective services. The Mission believes

the progress made by the GOAM was attributable to both its having

established a Ministerial Council to Combat in Trafficking in

Persons, which is chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, and the

active advocacy that the Mission embarked upon with the Deputy Prime

Minister during the reporting period.



4. (SBU) In spite of the progress registered, room for improvement

remains, particularly in victim identification by police and border

guards, and in investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases by

police and prosecutors. Another area of concern is the

implementation of the new NRM, which NGOs complain mis-focuses on

using trafficking victims to assist in the prosecution of

trafficking cases rather than providing them assistance that goes

beyond meeting their short-term needs. There are indications that

GOAM agencies themselves are beginning to recognize this problem and

push for changes, though police remained seized of the current

model.



5. (SBU) During the reporting period, the Mission intensified its

anti-trafficking efforts in Armenia. This seems a success of our

insistence that the GOAM elevate its anti-TIP policy committee to

the ministerial level so as to have sufficient political heft to

effect changes. The GOAM finally took our advice on this in 2008,

appointing the powerful Deputy Prime Minister/Minster of Territorial

Administration Armen Gevorgian as chair, and this new structure has

indeed energized government efforts. Gevorgian seems to have taken

on the TIP issue as something that will reflect on him personally,

and has engaged himself energetically in the policy issues. The

Ambassador and other Embassy officers have seized on this new

momentum, and have engaged repeatedly with the Deputy Prime Minister

and key members of his staff and of the Council. Through the

Mission's INL office, the USG also funded grants to support the

strengthening of law enforcement agencies' response to trafficking,

including separate grants for training in victim referral and

training in investigating trafficking cases. The USG also provided

funding for a victims' assistance program that provided safe-haven

and medical, social, and legal services to trafficking victims, in

addition to educational and professional training geared to help

victims reintegrate into society.



6. (SBU) Post would like to inform G/TIP that the bulk of statistics

provided in this report covers calendar year 2008 only. The GOAM

did not have January or February 2009 data available when the

Mission requested it. (NOTE: GOAM law enforcement agencies usually

report their annual data on a calendar-year basis, which

unfortunately does not match G/TIP's reporting year. Although the

Mission works hard to obtain updates, they are not always provided.

. END NOTE)



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THE COUNTRY'S TIP SITUATION



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



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

ref A paragraph 23.



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

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

undertake further documentation of human trafficking? How reliable

are these sources?



There are a number of information sources on TIP in Armenia:



- law enforcement agencies and other government agencies, which

provide official statistics and information on specific trafficking

criminal cases;



- international organizations with local missions in Armenia, such

as the Organization for Security and Cooperation of Europe (OSCE),

the International Labor Organization (ILO),and the United Nations

Development Program (UNDP),and others that provide information on

TIP-related developments in the field, as well as information on

GOAM anti-TIP policy efforts. The international organizations,

however, do not possess information on specific TIP cases or the

situation on the ground;



- local NGOs who work with TIP victims, such as the "Hope and Help"

NGO, the "Democracy Today" NGO, and the resident mission of the

United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR),all of which provide

information on specific cases, victims' stories, and governmental

anti-TIP efforts as recounted by victims.



- the newly adopted National Referral Mechanism (NRM) envisages the

creation of a unified database on TIP victims and traffickers. The

Police and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MoLSA) will

eventually become the national repositories for trafficker-centered

and victim-centered national databases.



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

ref A paragraph 23.



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

for internationally trafficked men, women, or children? Does

trafficking occur within the country's borders? If so, does internal

trafficking occur in territory outside of the government's control

(e.g. in a civil war situation)? (NOTE: This question is

inapplicable. End NOTE.) To where are people trafficked? For what

purposes are they trafficked? 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)?



Armenia is a source country for women and girls trafficked largely

for sexual exploitation to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and

Turkey. There were two cases in the reporting period when Armenia

served as a destination country for women trafficked to the country

from Ukraine and Russia, in order to work as night club dancers.

Armenia is also a source country for Armenian men and women

trafficked to Russia and Turkey for labor. (NOTE: In July 2008, the

police reported a case of exploitation of a Ukrainian dancer in a

local strip club. According to the police, however, they were not

able to prosecute the night club owner since all of the witnesses

changed their testimony, ostensibly in order to defend the club

owner. END NOTE)



During the reporting period, trafficking occurred within Armenia's

borders. UMCOR reported two cases of sexual exploitation of minors.

In one case a 17-year-old girl was forced into prostitution by her

partner and in the other case a 15-year-old girl was forced into

prostitution by her mother and her partner. (NOTE: UMCOR's second

case is not included in the law enforcement statistics, since the

case was prosecuted as rape. Also see below. END NOTE)



Police reported one more case of internal trafficking when two minor

boys were forced into beggary. (NOTE: In reality, there were two

cases of forcing into beggary, however, only one was re-qualified as

trafficking, and the second case was pending requalification and

thus was not yet included in official statistics. Also see below.

END NOTE.)



According to official statistics, during calendar year 2008 there



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were 34 victims of trafficking identified as such within criminal

cases launched under the relevant trafficking articles of the

criminal code. Of these, eight were trafficked to Turkey, ten to

the UAE, 13 were Russian citizens exploited in Armenia, and there

were three victims of internal trafficking. According to the newly

adopted National Referral Mechanism, the 34 identified victims all

underwent the second stage of the three-step identification process

(NOTE: See below for more information on this. END NOTE)



However, according to official information there were also victims

who had undergone only the initial phase of the identification

process. Two such cases involved trafficking of women to work as

waitresses to Russia and trafficking of a man to work in

construction in Russia. The investigation of these cases was

ongoing.



In February 2009, the police opened an investigation into a case

involving six men and three women who were trafficked to Russia for

labor exploitation. These victims had also undergone only the

initial stage of identification by police. (NOTE: The Hope and Help

NGO had identified and assisted several of these victims in previous

years. END NOTE)



Hope and Help and UMCOR assisted a total of 24 victims, most of whom

were included in the figure above (see below for more).



There were no obvious changes with new TIP case handling in the

country, except for the fact that, as compared with the previous

reporting period, there appeared to be a lower number of new

(2008-09) occurrences of trafficking cases that came to light during

the current reporting period. (NOTE: Statistically the overall

number of trafficking cases investigated during the current

reporting period was the same as it was in the prior reporting

period, even though there appeared to be fewer new (2008-09)

occurrences of trafficking cases discovered. This is explained by

the fact that older trafficking cases, which occurred in previous

years, only came to light during the current reporting period and

are now being investigated by law enforcement agencies. END NOTE)

Various opinions exist as to the reason for the lower number of new

occurrences of trafficking cases during the reporting period. Law

enforcement agencies and local NGOs both state that traffickers have

changed their tactics while recruiting in Armenia, as well as their

tactics in treating victims once victims have arrived in destination

countries. The tactics reportedly include a more subtle approach

towards victims, with traffickers targeting prostitutes, persuading

them they will be adequately compensated for their work, and

subjecting them to less physical abuse once they arrive in the

destination country. These more subtle methods reportedly also

include periodic monetary payments to victims. According to some

observers, public awareness campaigns have also played an important

part in the lower number of reported victims, with targeted sectors

of the population now more aware of the signs and dangers of

trafficking. According to law enforcement agencies, tougher

criminal punishment in the form of upheld prison sentences, which

have replaced fines and suspended sentences, have had a deterring

affect on traffickers as well. During the reporting period, there

were several new trafficking cases of labor trafficking of Armenian

men to Russia that came to light. It is widely believed that labor

trafficking to Russia is much larger than what is reported, with

some Armenian men unaware of being trafficked, or others fearful of

the social stigma of reporting it.



(NOTE: Following the December 2007 transfer of investigations of all

trafficking cases from the Prosecutor General's (PG) Office to the

police, it has become easier to disaggregate official statistics

between trafficking and pimping cases. Since they took over the

investigative role, the police have ensured that all trafficking

cases are prosecuted as such, and not to conflate them with pimping

cases, as was the case when the PG's office had the responsibility

for conducting investigations. This more rigorous approach in the

application of Armenia's criminal statutes by the police has

resulted in the overall reduction of reported trafficking victims,

because the PG's office used to present a conflated number for

victims of sexual exploitation that included both TIP and pimping

victims. END NOTE)



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

ref A paragraph 23.



-- C. What kind of conditions are the victims trafficked into?



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

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

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

bodies, are beaten and raped, punished (physical abuse) 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 police due to their

illegal status. Nevertheless, according to recent reports the

traffickers have started applying softer methods (see above) and in

such cases the victims have begun not to consider themselves

victimized. In some of the situations that victims end up once in

foreign countries, the economic conditions are better than their

economic situation in Armenia, and therefore some of these victims

endure the exploitation and sometimes return to be trafficked again.

In some cases, in particularly in Turkey, victims are located in

very remote areas and cannot apply for help even if they wanted. In

case of victims who were trafficked into Armenia, there were no

reports of violence used against them, however, threats of violence

against them were reportedly used. In the case of the large group

of Russian women who were exploited as strip club dancers, their

freedom was curtailed by an extremely high rent that they had to pay

for housing, and they were guarded and not released from their

accommodations out of concern "for their own security."



In February 2009, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released its report on

Exploitation of Migrant Construction Workers in Russia, in which

Armenian migrants are included. According to the report, large

numbers of migrant workers to Russia from the South Caucasus and

Central Asia, among other ethnic minorities, are subjected to abuse

and exploitation by employers, employment agencies, and other

intermediaries, and are victims of extortion and abuse by police and

other officials. In the worst cases, migrant workers coming to

Russia are trafficked into forced labor. HRW quoted in its report

an official in the Embassy of Armenia in Russia saying that the

embassy frequently received complaints about confiscated passports,

failure to pay wages, and degrading treatment by police or

employers. In cases of confiscated passports, embassy staff will go

to law enforcement agencies on behalf of their citizens. They have

also submitted appeals to Russian government agencies for

employment-related issues, but generally encouraged their nationals

to pursue court cases on their own.



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

of ref A paragraph 23.



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

of being trafficked (e.g. women and children, boys versus girls,

certain ethnic groups, refugees, IDPs, etc.)?



The groups most vulnerable to trafficking for sexual exploitation

include witting sex workers, 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. Labor

traffickers take advantage of unemployed or seasonal workers from

poverty-stricken communities, especially in the rural areas.

Trafficking victims overwhelmingly come from impoverished

communities; the common factor among the vulnerable groups is

poverty and a lack of socio-economic opportunities.



In 2007 UMCOR researched and prepared a report on "Vulnerability to

Human Trafficking with Pre-Graduates and Graduate from Orphanages

and Social Schools." According to the report's findings, the

graduates of both types of institutions were at a very high risk of

becoming trafficking victims, due to unawareness, limited life

opportunities after graduation, scarcity of jobs, bearing the stigma

of being an orphanage graduate, and other factors.



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

of ref A paragraph 23.



-- 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 have

established networks of recruiters and other facilitators that help



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them on various issues (e.g. preparing false documents,

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 typical of trafficking 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 the same crime -- have very good

connections with the locals in the destination and transit

countries, and usually have local partners, often boyfriends or

husbands, who help them.



While there is evidence that the traffickers of Armenia's victims

are not alone in their actions, there has not been a single report

from any source to corroborate that they are form of international

crime syndicates.



The authorities reported one criminal case in which the traffickers

involved were charged as an organized criminal group, with

established networks of accomplices in Armenia, Russia and the UAE.

In this case the main defendant was an Armenian pimp based in Dubai,

and her local accomplices were two of her sisters. In case of the

Russian women who were brought to Armenia, the trafficker was a

Russian woman, who reportedly had an employment agency in Volgograd

and she recruited the victims through a newspaper advertisement that

announced exotic dance classes. She operated with the help of her

daughter and a local accomplice in Armenia.



-- What methods are used to approach victims? For example, are they

offered lucrative jobs, sold by their families, or approached by

friends of friends?



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

neighbors or acquaintances, but seldom on the street. The

recruiters usually lure victims with promises of high wages, either

to engage in prostitution, or, much less frequently, for work as

nannies, care-providers and waitresses. Though most trafficking

victims know they are going to work as prostitutes, they are not

fully aware of the exploitative conditions in which they will work.

The victims in a labor trafficking case had been promised a

reasonable wage, which they never received. In one case of

trafficking to Turkey, the woman was promised that she would marry

an affluent husband. Instead she was forced to marry a very poor

Turk in a very remote village, who already had one wife and five

children, and she was beaten and raped.



-- What methods are used to move the victims (e.g., are false

documents being used?).



Those trafficked to the UAE usually fly to Dubai directly from

Yerevan, or sometimes via Moscow. In one case the victim was

transferred to Krasnodar (southern Russia) where she was taken to a

local prison and exploited by inmates and then was transferred on to

Dubai. According to Armenian law enforcement agencies, in most of

the current cases victims are transported with their genuine travel

documents. The trafficking route to Turkey is by bus via the

country of Georgia.



-- 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.



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

SETTING THE SCENE FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-TIP

EFFORTS

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



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

of ref A paragraph 24.



-- Does the government acknowledge that trafficking is a problem in

the country? If not, why not?



Yes, the GOAM -- from the Deputy Prime Minister who chairs the

one-year-old Ministerial Council to Combat Trafficking in Persons,

to law enforcement officials working in the field -- has

demonstrated a newly-serious commitment to combating trafficking

during the reporting period, and all concerned GOAM officials openly



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acknowledge trafficking is a problem.



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

of ref A paragraph 24.



-- Which government agencies are involved in anti- trafficking

efforts and which agency, if any, has the lead?



In addition to individual agencies, the Ministerial Council to

Combat Trafficking in Persons, and the inter-agency working group

that advises the Council, are responsible for Armenia's

anti-trafficking efforts, on both the policy and implementation

fronts.



Established in December 2007, the Ministerial Council was slow to

start work, largely as a result of the internal political crisis,

where Armenia's disputed presidential election resulted in violent

clashes and ten dead. However, once its leadership was changed, the

Council became very active starting in July 2008. The Council is

chaired by Armen Gevorgian, the new Deputy Prime Minister, who is

also Minister of Territorial Administration. Since taking over the

Chairmanship of the Council, Gevorgian has taken decisive action to

beef up Armenia's anti-trafficking efforts, and drawing upon his

experience as the long-time Chief of Staff to Armenia's president,

possesses the political weight and connections to put words into

action. In addition to the Deputy PM, the Council is comprised of

the 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 the 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 who also serves as Secretary of the

Council. The Council has a broad mandate to implement, coordinate

and monitor the government's anti-trafficking efforts. The Council

has held a number of sessions since the summer and invited the

international and NGO community to observe its proceedings. With

this new Council, the tone and tenor of the GOAM's anti-TIP work has

been transformed in the past six months, to one of well-coordinated

energy and seriousness of purpose. Previous efforts had seemed

episodic, uncoordinated, and often lackadaisical, punctuated with

serious efforts only by a few isolated, mid-ranking officials.



Supporting the Council's work is the inter-agency working group,

which is composed of representatives from all of Armenia's law

enforcement agencies (the police, the National Security Service

(NSS) that includes the border guard service, and the PG's Office);

the Migration Agency under the Ministry of Territorial

Administration; cabinet staff; Parliament staff; as well as the

Ministries of Foreign Affairs; Justice; Health; Labor and Social

Affairs; Ministry of Trade and Economic Development; Education and

Science; Sports and Youth Affairs; Finance and Economy; and the

National Statistical Service. The Foreign Ministry 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 are held regularly during the year.



In terms of assistance that is provided to trafficking victims,

according to the NRM the lead agency is the MoLSA. The latter signed

a memorandum of understanding with the OSCE on November 4 and has

opened an anti-Trafficking Support and Resource Unit at the

Ministry. Once fully developed and up and running, the unit will a)

assist relevant national entities to combat trafficking through

improved cooperation between the Government and NGOs; b) develop

strategies for victim protection and provide assistance to the NRM;

and c) provide assistance in the drafting of the GOAM's next

National Action Plan to combat trafficking. The unit will be

accessible by government employees, trafficking victims, and the

general public. After two years, this unit will be integrated into

the MoLSA. Currently the unit occupies two rooms on the premises of

the MoLSA.



In terms of investigating trafficking crimes, and their policy role

in the NRM, the police is the lead agency.



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

of ref A paragraph 24.





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

this problem in practice? For example, is funding for police or

other institutions inadequate? Is overall corruption a problem?

Does the government lack the resources to aid victims?



Adequate funding has been a problem, both for the law enforcement

agencies and for assisting the victims, though the GOAM is rapidly

increasing anti-TIP funding from a low base. Human resource

limitations are another challenge, with a lack of well-qualified

staff in all agencies as well as limited technical capacity.

Another obstacle is the lack of experience of various officials

involved in anti-trafficking efforts, and a continuing lack of

sufficient TIP understanding by police in the field. According to

law enforcement agencies, the lack of practical experience is still

an issue since trafficking is a relatively new crime and they still

do not have established "schools" on this. The National Security

Service (NSS) has requested assistance with TIP training by

personnel who have practical experience in combating trafficking.

Gevorgian has said he will personally lead TIP awareness seminars

for police officials in Armenia's regions in 2009.



According to the police, another obstacle is lacking or imperfect

statutes in the criminal code, which sometimes limits their ability

to adequately punish traffickers. In response to this problem, on

February 10 the inter-agency working group began work on drafting

criminal code amendments to address these deficiencies. If passed,

such amendments would allow for the confiscation of traffickers'

property; the closure of establishments where trafficking or pimping

is discovered; criminalizing as trafficking the involvement of

children in prostitution; and the compulsory licensing of employment

and marriage agencies, night clubs, hotels, etc, whose current

administrative status exempts them from licensing inspections.



Another problem, according to law enforcement agencies, is that

labor migration is not regularized, i.e., there are no bilateral

labor agreements between Armenia and Russia that spell out workers'

rights for migrants.



Overall, but by no means limited to trafficking, corruption remains

an obstacle to the GOAM as it tries to address problematic areas

such as trafficking.



Law enforcement agencies, as well as Foreign Ministry

representatives note that another serious obstacle is the lack of,

or very weak cooperation with Russia, Georgia, the UAE and Turkey on

anti-trafficking measures. In the case of Turkey, the absence of

diplomatic relations is an impediment.



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

of ref A paragraph 24.



-- 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 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 of their agency in the area for a specific period.

The interagency working group, according to its mandate, prepared

an annual report on its activities, and submitted it to the Council

in January. The working groups plans to publish the report once it

has been reviewed by the Council.



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

INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS

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



16. (SBU) In reference to questions A though D of paragraph 25, the

answers mostly repeat information from the Mission's submission for

the eighth annual TIP report, since there has been no new

legislation enacted in this area.



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

of ref A paragraph 25.



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

specifically prohibiting trafficking in persons -- both for sexual



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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.

Amendments to the trafficking statues enacted in July 2006

significantly clarified and toughened the penalties. The Code's two

pimping statutes (261 and 262) provide for prosecution and

punishment of those found guilty of organization of prostitution and

recruitment of prostitutes.



Victims of trafficking may obtain restitution during a criminal

case, or in a civil case, after the completion of the criminal case.

In the latter case, the judge may rule that the victim is entitled

to seek civil damages. Nonetheless, according to prosecutors who

work on TIP cases, none of the victims in the 2008 cases have sought

civil damages to date. 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 ref A paragraph 25.



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

and imposed penalties for trafficking people for sexual

exploitation?



Under the criminal code the applicable prison term

is three to 15 years, depending on the aggravating circumstances.

These sentences are commensurate with those for rape. The

penalties, which increased in July 2006, also have had the effect of

bumping trafficking crimes up into the category of "grave" and

"especially grave" crimes. According to the criminal code, those

convicted of "grave" and "especially grave" crimes must serve at

least half of their sentences, before they can become eligible for

requesting release on parole. Before, those convicted of

trafficking crimes were eligible for release on parole after serving

only one-third of their sentences.



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

of ref A paragraph 25.



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

and imposed penalties for trafficking for labor exploitation, such

as forced or bonded 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 trafficking in the

destination country? If your country is a destination for labor

migrants, are there laws punishing employers or labor agents who

confiscate workers' passports or travel documents for the purpose of

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

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

of salaries as means of keeping the worker in a state of 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

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 ref A paragraph 25.



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

assault?



The prescribed penalties for rape range from three to 15 years of

imprisonment depending on the aggravating circumstance.



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

of ref A paragraph 25.



-- E. Law Enforcement Statistics: Did the government prosecute any

cases 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 traffickers 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).



(NOTE: The GOAM's reporting system, and particularly reporting on

law enforcement issues, corresponds with calendar years, hence the

following statistical information refers to calendar year 2008. At

the Mission's request, the GOAM has promised to submit any updates

on significant developments for the first quarter of 2009. END

NOTE)



The number of TIP investigations launched in 2007 and 2008 are

approximately the same.



During 2008 the GOAM prosecuted 13 criminal cases against 22

defendants under trafficking statutes (132 and 132-1) on 16

instances of trafficking (as one case involved four instances of

trafficking). Two of these 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 only to be later re-qualified as trafficking. The

defendant in this case was the deputy principal of a special school

who had forced two children -- students from that special school --

into beggary. (NOTE: In February 2009, law enforcement agencies

re-qualified another such case, again involving two child victims,

from involvement in beggary to trafficking. END NOTE)



In three of these cases Turkey was the destination country where

women underwent labor and/or sexual trafficking.



In four cases the UAE was the destination country where women

underwent sexual trafficking. This included one case prosecuted as

activity of an organized group in four instances/cases of

trafficking.



In one case the trafficker had taken women to both the UAE and

Turkey.



In one case Armenia was a destination country for 13 Russian women

who were provided to various strip clubs as dancers.



In two cases victims underwent labor exploitation in Russia, two of

which as female waitresses, and one man in the construction field.



Other cases referred to internal trafficking. In one case the

victim was a 17-year-old minor whose partner forced her to

prostitute. In the other case, as already mentioned, the victims

were children who were forced into beggary.



According to UMCOR, in the summer of 2008 Armenian courts convicted

to ten years of imprisonment two defendants under charges of rape

and violent actions of sexual nature committed toward a 15-year-old

minor. UMCOR, who works with the victim (now age 16),has

identified the minor as a trafficking victim. The traffickers were

the mother of the child and her partner. (NOTE: This case is not

included in the official TIP statistics already provided. END NOTE)

According to UMCOR, in this case the confidentiality of the minor's

identify was jeopardized and she was no longer able to return to her

house.



In February 2009, the police reported the launch of a new

investigation into a major labor trafficking case to Russia. This

case is in addition to the 13 cases enumerated above as having

occurred in calendar year 2008. According to the police, two

traffickers, who are now wanted, between 2001-2009 recruited and

transferred to the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) in Russia six male and

three female victims where they underwent labor exploitation.



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Convictions were issued in three out of the 13 TIP cases prosecuted

in 2008:



-- on August 4, Eliza Mkrtchian was sentenced to two years

imprisonment;



-- on October 10, Araksia Petrosian was sentenced to 7.5 years

imprisonment; and



-- on October 24, Gayane Melkonian and Susanna Nikoghosian were

sentenced to 7.5 and 7 years, respectively.



In the case of Eliza Mkrtchian, she was prosecuted for two instances

of trafficking of victims -- to the UAE in 1998 and to Turkey in

2004. However, because in one case the statute of limitations had

expired, and in the other the new TIP statutes were not yet adopted,

the judge had to sentence the trafficker only to two years'

imprisonment under the then-existing criminal statutes.



In the case of Araksia Petrosian, the latter, together with her

sister Zhanna Mnoyan -- a pimp who reportedly resides in Turkey and

is now wanted by the GOAM -- recruited and transported to Turkey two

victims. Petrosian promised the victims employment as a

house-cleaner or waitress, only later to force them into

prostitution for one month each. One of the victims was transported

to Turkey in May, 2007 and the other in November, 2007.



The third conviction, for Melkonian and Nikoghosian, was for two

notorious traffickers who were on trial once again for new

discovered cases of trafficking.



None of the convicted traffickers received suspended sentences,

which sometimes has been the case in previous years. When asked to

explain the decrease in the number of convictions during 2008 over

past years, the police said fewer cases have actually gone to court

than in years past, as a majority of them are still in the

investigation phase -- out of a desire, police claim, to make sure

the prosecution's case is more solid when the trial begins.



Out of the 22 suspects in the 2008 criminal cases, four were

convicted, nine were wanted, five were awaiting trial, and the

investigation against five more was ongoing.



Two out of the total 13 cases were suspended, since the traffickers

were still wanted and at large. The trials of two more cases were

ongoing at the time of writing of this report. One of these cases

involved the minor trafficked by her partner, and the other case --

which was separated from a large case the investigation of which was

still ongoing -- involved the four defendants who were charged as an

organized group. In addition to trafficking charges, one member of

that group was charged with attempting to bribe the victim to

retract her testimony.



The investigations of the other cases were ongoing and subsequently

transferred to 2009.



In 2008 law enforcement agencies announced as wanted and searched

for 24 traffickers. By the end of 2008 three of the 24 were

apprehended, leaving a total of 21 traffickers wanted at the end of

2008.



There are a number of articles in the criminal code, which,

according to the police, also pertain in certain measure to

trafficking, and the police presented the Mission with the relevant

statistics on them as well. (NOTE: The proposed legal amendments

now under discussion by the inter-agency working group seek to

combine these statutes into the existing trafficking statutes in

some manner. END NOTE)



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

Purchase of Children." The police has investigated three such cases

against five persons, involving eight children. All these cases

referred to the sale and purchase of children for the purpose of

adoption.



The other article, 166 of the criminal code, was the involvement of

children in anti-social activities, as previously mentioned. The

police investigated two such cases, both of which were re-qualified

as trafficking -- one of which is included in the 2008 statistics



YEREVAN 00000135 011.2 OF 024





cited above, and the other was re-qualified in February 2009.



In 2008, the GOAM prosecuted 20 persons under 17 criminal cases on

charges of pimping (261, 262). Nine of the 20 were convicted. The

cases involved 52 victims or witnesses. Three out of these cases

involved pimping abroad (one case to Turkey and two cases to the

UAE),but a credible source at the police said that those were not

trafficking cases.



On May 4, 2008 the Yerevan Criminal Court convicted to 3.5 years

imprisonment two persons on pimping charges resulting from a 2007

case. The defendants had assisted/mediated in the organization of

prostitution of two girls, one of whom was a minor, with Iranian men

for several occasions in Yerevan during 2007.



-- If in a labor source country, did the government criminally

prosecute labor recruiters who recruit workers using knowingly

fraudulent or deceptive offers or by imposing fees or commissions

for the purpose of subjecting the worker to debt bondage?



Armenia is considered a labor source country, but very few cases are

actually uncovered or brought to light. In these cases the same

trafficking statutes apply that apply for sexual trafficking.



-- Did the government in a labor destination country criminally

prosecute employers or labor agents who confiscate workers'

passports/travel documents for the purpose of trafficking, switch

contracts or terms of employment without the worker's consent to

keep workers in a state of service, use physical or sexual abuse or

the threat of such abuse to keep workers in a state of service, or

withhold payment of salaries as a means to keep workers in a state

of service?



Not applicable.



-- What were the actual punishments imposed on persons convicted of

these offenses? Are the traffickers serving the time sentenced? If

not, why not?



See above for convictions. There were no reports of early release

of traffickers during 2008. According to data provided by the GOAM

on imprisoned traffickers, as of August 2008 most of the

traffickers, especially those convicted after 2006, were still

serving their sentences.



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

of ref A paragraph 25.



-- Does the government provide any specialized training for

government officials in how to recognize, investigate, and prosecute

instances of trafficking? Specify whether NGOs, international

organizations, and/or the USG provide specialized training for host

government officials.



This is an area where the GOAM openly acknowledges a need for

assistance. As mentioned above, resources devoted to training are

sparse (across all subject areas),and curricula at state

institutions are inadequate to properly train investigators. For

the most part, government officials to date have benefited mostly

from international expertise when it comes to anti-trafficking

training.



With European Commission funding, the Hope and Help NGO during the

reporting period conducted a number of training seminars on

trafficking for a total of 49 representatives from all of the law

enforcement agencies (including 15 police),judges, defense lawyers,

the Foreign Ministry, and journalists. In February 2009, Hope and

Help also organized training seminars for 25 social workers and

representatives of the labor employment service.



In January 2009, the IOM trained 15 employees of the Ministry of

Education and Science on trafficking and its prevention, and on the

possibilities of including trafficking into Armenia's educational

curriculum.



In June 2008, UMCOR, jointly with the Ministry of Sport and Youth

Affairs, organized training on "The Role of Youth in Combating

Trafficking in Human Beings" for the representatives of State Youth

Centers from Yerevan and Armenia's ten regions. A total of 21

representatives from youth centers from all the regions of Armenia



YEREVAN 00000135 012.2 OF 024





participated in the training.



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

Armenia, organized a one-day training of trainers on "The Role of

the Social and Labor Agencies in Combating Trafficking in Human

Beings" for representatives of social and labor agencies from

Yerevan and Armenia's ten regions. Overall, 36 representatives of

the abovementioned agencies participated. After that training,

participants conducted one-day training seminars on anti-trafficking

issues in their Regional Employment Centers for employees of the

agency.



Trafficking is included in the curriculum of all the specialized

educational facilities of law enforcement agencies, but as mentioned

previously is in need of being enhanced to be more effective.



Through its Legal Institute, the Ministry of Justice continues to

hold training courses for relevant personnel on the prevention of

trafficking, prosecution, and victims and witness protection.



In May and June, UMCOR trained representatives from the Prosecutor

General Office's Department on Fighting Crimes against Persons --

that has responsibility for combating TIP -- on capacity building in

combating TIP. PG personnel from Yerevan and six of Armenia's

regions were trained. On December 18, 2008, the Prosecutors School

organized a seminar on trafficking.



Throughout 2008 MoLSA organized training seminars on trafficking and

gender issues in all of Armenia's regions that was provided to local

children protection units, staff of local self-government bodies,

governor's offices, local school directors, employment services,

NGOs and journalists.



Throughout 2008 the Ministry of Health organized discussions with

its employees and regional health workers on the subject of treating

trafficking victims.



With UNDP funding, the Migration Agency together with IOM organized

a three-day training seminar in October 2008 on trafficking and

illegal migration for state employees of the three migrants support

points operating in the Armenian cities of Yerevan, Gyumri and

Artashat.



During the reporting period, the Migration Agency together with

representatives from the Russian Migration Service, the Foreign

Ministry and the police continued to tour Armenia's regions and hold

seminars explaining Russian migration laws, as well the trafficking

risks associated with illegal migration.



UNDP, jointly with OSCE and ILO, prepared an extensive -- over 300

pages long -- law enforcement training manual on investigating,

prosecuting and making final judgments on TIP cases. The manual,

once printed in March or April 2009, will be used in the specialized

schools of judges and law enforcement agencies. Some parts of the

manual will also serve as material for elective courses in law

departments of various Armenian universities.



UNDP also negotiated with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

to purchase and install a Russian language computer-based training

course on organized crime which will be installed in the special

schools of prosecutors, the NSS, and the police. A major component

of the training course is devoted to combating TIP.



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

of ref A paragraph 25.



-- 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.



GOAM agencies report that cooperation with foreign governments has

been minimal to date. GOAM agencies say they would welcome such

cooperation, and have in the past tried to work with the Turkish

government on trafficking cases, to little or no avail. Cooperation

with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is in its nascent stages (see

below).



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

tries to cooperate with the GOT through Interpol or the Armenian



YEREVAN 00000135 013.2 OF 024





Embassy in Georgia. This level of cooperation, nevertheless, is

quite small. Currently the GOAM is waiting for a GOT response on

helping return to Armenia an identified victim located in the

Turkish region of Antalia. In case of another major trafficker of

Armenian origin -- Gohar Kirakossian Klinch -- the GOT has

reportedly refused to extradite her, since she has since acquired

Turkish citizenship. In previous years the Russian embassy and

consulates in Turkey used to assist Armenian citizens with

trafficking-related cases, however, according to the Foreign

Ministry this is no longer the case. (NOTE: The GOAM has in the

past approached the Mission to intercede on its behalf on various

trafficking cases involving Turkey. END NOTE)



Despite GOAM efforts, cooperation with the UAE remains nascent. In

May 2008, a delegation headed by the director of the Migration

Agency, who also serves as Secretary on the Ministerial Council to

Combat Trafficking in Persons, traveled to the UAE to establish ties

with the UAE government on trafficking issues. Based on this trip

an agreement was reached to sign an MOU between the two governments.

In August 2008, the GOAM sent the UAE a draft of the MOU for

further discussions, but there have been no developments since then.

According to the NSS and the PG's Office, in practice the UAE to

date has been unwilling to cooperate or assist with trafficking

cases. Currently the Foreign Ministry is trying to repatriate eight

Armenian citizens under arrest in Dubai, some of whom are

trafficking victims as well as likely traffickers.



Although the NSS reports little cooperation with Russia, due largely

to insufficient and slow bureaucratic channels, the police reported

that the cooperation was good, and that Russia has provided

substantive cooperation in three-four trafficking cases that

involved either Russia as a destination country or Russian victims.





All GOAM officials with anti-TIP responsibilities expressed

disappointment with the low level of cooperation with Georgia, which

they claim is due to a Georgian refusal to engage on the issue.



From February 18-20, 2009, the ILO together with the OSCE, the

International Center on Migration Policy Development (ICMPD),UNDP

and other international organizations organized an international

conference in Tbilisi, Georgia on migration and trafficking issues.

The GOAM sent a large delegation in the hopes of establishing

regional anti-trafficking ties and improving cooperation with other

countries participating at the conference (including Greece and

Turkey). INL staff from the Mission attended the conference and

reported that the GOAM made useful contacts, for example with

anti-TIP NGOs from Turkey and the UAE.



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

of ref A paragraph 25.



-- 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 were no reported cases of extraditions or extradition requests

made to the GOAM by foreign governments during the reporting period,

which has also been the case in previous reporting periods. The

lack of extraditions is largely due to the fact that no suspected

foreign traffickers have been apprehended in Armenia, or if they

have been, none in recent memory have been the subject of

extradition requests from their country of origin. On the other

hand, three wanted traffickers of Armenian citizenship who were

caught were deported from the UAE to Armenia, not extradited.

According to law enforcement agencies in Armenia, it is much easier

for them to work with other governments on deportation rather than

the extradition of Armenian citizens wanted for trafficking-related

offenses.



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

of ref A paragraph 25.



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

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

explain in detail.





YEREVAN 00000135 014.2 OF 024





Once again there has been no evidence of government involvement in

or tolerance of trafficking during the reporting period. In the

2006 case of Anush Zakharyants, the escaped Uzbek trafficker of

Armenian origin, the GOAM in late December re-launched a criminal

case into all aspects of the escape of the convicted and jailed

trafficker, who allegedly managed to flee Armenia with the help of

corrupt officials. The decision to re-launch the case was taken by

the administration of Armenian president Serzh Sargsian, after

rigorous and persistent advocacy by the Ambassador and other Embassy

officers during the reporting period. The Mission believes that

Armen Gevorgian, Armenia's new Deputy Prime Minister and new head of

the Ministerial Council to Combat Trafficking in Persons, played a

decisive role in convincing the Presidency to re-launch the

controversial case. To date, the GOAM has also taken all of the

appropriate measures possible in launching the international search

for Zakharyants, who is now wanted by Interpol and throughout all

CIS countries.



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

of ref A paragraph 25.



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

has the government taken to end such participation? Please indicate

the number of government officials investigated and prosecuted for

involvement in trafficking or trafficking-related corruption 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.



There have been no new cases of the involvement of government

officials in trafficking since 2006. See above for an update on the

2006 case.



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

of ref A paragraph 25.



-- Is prostitution legalized or decriminalized? Specifically, are

the activities of the prostitute criminalized? Are the activities

of the brothel owner/operator, clients, pimps, and enforcers

criminalized? Are these laws enforced? If prostitution is legal

and regulated, what is the legal minimum age for this activity?

Note that in countries with federalist systems, prostitution laws

may be under state or local jurisdiction and may differ among

jurisdictions.



Prostitution is not legal, but is considered a civil, not criminal,

offense, subject to a fine of USD 1.63 - 3.27 for a first offense,

and USD 3.27 - 6.55 for repeat offenses in the same calendar year.

Organization of and recruitment into prostitution are criminal

offenses punishable under Articles 261 and 262.



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

of ref A paragraph 25.



-- 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.



Not applicable. There were no reports of Armenian peacekeeping

troops involved in trafficking during the reporting period.



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

of ref A paragraph 25.



-- 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



YEREVAN 00000135 015.2 OF 024





traveling to other countries to engage in child sex tourism?



There is no identified child sex tourism problem in Armenia.



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

PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS

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



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

of ref A paragraph 26.



-- 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. They note that a lack of

funding and concrete implementation mechanisms are the main

obstacles preventing the implementation. Victim and witness

protection are legitimately challenging in a country as small as

Armenia.



In practice, however, the police have taken some measures to protect

the victims, such as hiding/changing their identities, ensuring that

the victims' testimony rather than their physical presence be

acceptable during the court hearings, ensuring the legally required

interaction between defendants and witnesses be conducted through a

third person and not face to face, and escorting victims at trials

who have not requested identity protection.



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

of ref A paragraph 26.



-- 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 are child 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 shelters for trafficking victims in Armenia

that are accessible for both 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, as well as vocational

training. During the reporting period, Hope and Help sheltered and

provided assistance to five victims.



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 2008, UMCOR's shelter

was funded by the Norwegian and Belgian governments. For 2009, the

funding of the shelter for the first time ever is to be provided in

part by the GOAM (for the full 12 months) and partly by UMCOR. As

of late February, the GOAM had not yet delivered the appropriated

funding for the shelter, as currently UMCOR and GOAM are at the

stage of signing a contract. Once the contract is in place it will

have a retroactive affect and the GOAM will re-pay UMCOR its share

of the shelter's operational costs from January 1, 2009. The GOAM

appropriated a total of USD 55,000 for the 2009 co-funding of the

shelter as a line-item in Armenia's 2009 national budget which was

passed in November 2008. During the reporting period, UMCOR

sheltered and provided assistance to 17 victims (two of whom were

victims first sheltered during the previous reporting period).

UMCOR also helped two victims who did not stay in the shelter. Ten

of the 19 sheltered victims were from Russia.





YEREVAN 00000135 016.2 OF 024





In addition to the shelter, UMCOR has received funding from the

Norwegian government to maintain during 2009 a drop-in center for

TIP victims, where initial identification of victims will take

place, and which will provide social, medical and legal assistance

to those victims who do not want to stay in the shelter.



UMCOR's implementer, the Democracy Today NGO, and Hope and Help,

maintained trafficking hotlines during the reporting period.



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

of ref A paragraph 26.



-- 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.



For the first time ever, the GOAM included multiple line-item

allocations in its national budget devoted exclusively to its

anti-trafficking efforts. While four of the nine line-item

allocations, which are now collectively listed in the national

budget under the trafficking rubric, have previously figured in the

budget and are not directly linked to trafficking (e.g., government

funding for housing of orphanage graduates),five of the nine are

brand new and are directly linked to the government's

anti-trafficking efforts. On February 9, 2009, the Deputy Prime

Minister (and Chair of the Ministerial Council to Combat Trafficking

in Persons) assured the Ambassador in a private meeting that the

GOAM was now taking its anti-TIP commitments more seriously than

ever, and that he hoped to increase the budget allocations for

anti-trafficking initiatives in Armenia's 2010 national budget.



The total allocation on trafficking specific activities in the

budget total approximately USD 123,000, which are assigned to

various government ministries. Two of the line items refer to

assistance to victims. They are as follows:



1) "Social and Psychological Rehabilitation for Victims of

Trafficking," approximately USD 55,000, to be administered by the

Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. The Government will use this

funding to cost share the operational expenses of UMCOR's shelter

for trafficking victims. As of February 13, 2009 the MoLSA and

UMCOR were working on developing the contract for this cost-sharing,

which will be retroactive to January 1, 2009 once a contract is

signed.



2) "Health Care Services to Victims of Trafficking," approximately

USD 7,000, to be administered by the Ministry of Health.



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

of ref A paragraph 26.



-- 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 kind of assistance as

trafficking victims with Armenian nationality (see above).

According to information from various sources, those victims who did

not want to leave Armenia stayed without any problems, and continued

to work elsewhere on the local economy.



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

of ref A paragraph 26.



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

benefits to victims or other resources to aid the victims in

rebuilding their lives?



The long-term shelter of victims and their long-term reintegration

is one of the most pressing TIP-related problems in Armenia. In

practice, this issue has yet to be effectively addressed by the

GOAM, which not only applies to trafficking victims but also other

vulnerable social groups. In short, Armenia does not have a social



YEREVAN 00000135 017.2 OF 024





housing program for vulnerable populations in general. As for

long-term assistance to trafficking victims, which is contained in

the new National Referral Mechanism (NRM) as the third and final

stage of identification of victims, only a general reference to the

Law on Social Assistance -- enacted in 2006 -- is made. The NRM

says that trafficking victims should benefit from the social package

envisaged by this law, and also says that there should be activities

for the victims' further re-integration (see more in the section on

the NRM below). However, interlocutors at the Ministry of Labor and

Social Affairs (MoLSA) with responsibility for implementing the law,

confided to the Mission that trafficking victims are technically

still excluded by said law for assistance. The omission stems from

the fact that currently TIP victims are not mentioned as a separate

group in the list of beneficiaries of this law, and that their

eligibility under the catch-all category of "vulnerable persons,"

cannot be established until there is an official amendment of the

category. In all cases, the social package that is stipulated by

the law -- including consultations and legal aid, rehabilitation,

financial and in-kind assistance, temporary shelter for up to 60

days, etc. -- does not envisage long-term housing, and in general

the implementation of the law is hampered by lack of funding. As a

result, the two NGOs that maintain shelters, have had cases when

they have had to host certain victims for months, and in rare cases

even years, since the victims did not have anywhere to go.



According to MoLSA interlocutors, the GOAM should include

trafficking victims as a category in the list of beneficiaries in

the employment programs for noncompetitive groups. The MoLSA

reports that this is a very good program with serious training and

state assistance in securing employment.



For those victims who are graduates of orphanages, sometimes housing

has been provided to these victims through a separate government

program that funds such housing. This program also served as a

preventive measure. In December 2008, however, a government audit

uncovered significant violations in the implementation of the

program, and its future sustainability could be at risk -- though

there is a new initiative to provide housing vouchers as a

replacement for the earlier failed program.



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

of ref A paragraph 26.



-- 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 formally adopted and implemented its National Referral

Mechanism (NRM) on November 20, 2008, following a six month pilot

testing. During the year the GOAM held numerous working-level, as

well as two Ministerial-level anti-trafficking meetings in which

NGOs and international organizations were able to voice their

objections to the proposed content of the NRM. In spite of these

discussions, however, the two principal anti-trafficking NGOs --

Hope and Help and UMCOR, as well as the international community --

remain concerned that the NRM focuses too much on the prosecution of

traffickers rather than on meeting the needs of trafficking victims,

and that the NRM as implemented has become more a mechanism for

passing information about the victim, rather then providing actual

assistance to the victim. (COMMENT: This development is not that

surprising, given the fact that the police had the lead in drafting

the NRM, and hence based it on their own investigative needs. Other

GOAM agencies have begun to voice their own concerns about this

police emphasis on investigation. The Deputy Prime Minister has

asked for the embassy's input on needed improvements to the NRM.

END COMMENT) The international community has called upon the GOAM

to submit the NRM for international expertise, however, so far this

has not been done.



A major related concern with the NRM is the conditionality that it

imposes on the level of assistance to the victim. Essentially,

assistance is determined by the extent to which the victim consents

to cooperate with the law enforcement agencies in the prosecution of

traffickers in court.



The NRM refers to two documents under which trafficking victims

should receive state-provided assistance. One of these is the 2004

GOAM decree "On Free Medical Aid and Servicing Guaranteed by the

State" and the second is the Law on Social Assistance. Neither



YEREVAN 00000135 018.2 OF 024





document, however, lists "trafficking victims" as a beneficiary

under the various categories eligible for assistance under the new

NRM. Therefore, according to MoLSA interlocutors, they are helpless

when it comes to actually providing this assistance to trafficking

victims. They also report that in general the NRM is vague on the

mechanics of assistance provision to victims, i.e., it is unclear

how any of the assistance should be given to the victim, does not

mention how the long-term reintegration of the victim will take

place, and nor it address the topic of long-term shelter or housing

for victims who are homeless and are no longer eligible to stay in

the shelter (i.e. 60 days).



As adopted, the NRM involves the following state bodies as parts of

the referral process: the MoLSA, Foreign Ministry, Ministry of

Health, Ministry of Territorial Administration, the NSS and the

police, and the NGOs who through signed MOUs cooperate with the

state on this issue. According to the NRM chart, the police sit at

the top of the information pyramid. According to the NRM, the

referral takes place only upon the free will of the victim,

However, in those cases when there are obvious reasons to refer a

victim out of concern for public safety, apparent danger to the life

and health of other victims connected to the same victim or his/her

case, or when the victim has committed a crime and there is a need

to disclose the circumstance of the crime, then the responsible

government bodies and cooperating NGOs, in compliance with Armenian

law, shall refer the victim to the police. The NRM envisages

actions under both scenarios, i.e. when the victim is abroad or when

he/she is located in Armenia.



Below is amore detailed description of the NRM's three-step

identification process, and the specific type and level of

assistance envisaged by each step:



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, hygienic

supplies, etc); legal advice; and, if necessary, provision of

short-term housing up to a maximum of seven days.



2) Intermediate identification takes place when the victim is

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

within a criminal case that can be prosecuted under the 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 "On Free Medical Aid and Servicing Guaranteed by the

State" (adopted in 2004); legal assistance; psychological

assistance; measures addressed to the re-integration of victims into

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 for a given criminal case. In the event a case -- in

compliance with the criminal procedure code -- does not make it to

court, the identification decision which was taken by the

investigative body in acknowledging the victim as the aggrieved in a

criminal case serve as the final identification of the trafficking

victim.



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 as well as further measures addressed to the

re-integration of the trafficking victim.



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

of ref A paragraph 26.



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

the reporting period? 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 calendar year 2008, 34



YEREVAN 00000135 019.2 OF 024





trafficking victims were identified, and related criminal cases were

launched under the relevant trafficking articles of the criminal

code. Of these eight were trafficked to Turkey, ten to the UAE, 13

were Russian citizens exploited in Armenia, and three were victims

of internal trafficking. According to the newly adopted NRM, all 34

victims underwent the first and second stages of the 3-step

identification process.



According to the police, they referred 20 out of the 34 victims to

NGOs, with the remainder refusing such assistance. According to one

of the NGOs dealing with the victims, a positive development has

been the police on some occasions inviting NGO representatives to

police facilities to be present when assistance is offered. This is

a break with past practice, when police used to ask themselves

whether the victims wanted to be assisted by the NGOs that provide

shelter and other assistance. According to this NGO, the new

approach by the police is a much more productive way to work with

victims.



In addition to the 34 victims already mentioned, law enforcement

agencies also reported that there were victims who had to date

undergone only the initial identification stage. Two such cases

involved trafficking of women to work as waitresses in Moscow, and

trafficking of a man to work in construction in Urfa, Russia. The

investigation of these cases was ongoing. In February 2009, the

police opened an investigation into a case involving six men and

three women who were trafficked to Russia for labor exploitation.

These victims had also undergone only the initial stage of

identification by the police. (NOTE: The Hope and Help NGO had

identified and assisted several of these victims in previous years.

END NOTE.)



According to the police, in a couple cases, police officers in

Armenia's regions had figured out that some cases were trafficking

and had immediately referred them to Yerevan Police. Police

officials in Yerevan noted this as a significant improvement in the

vigilance of their colleagues in Armenia's remote regions.



In the reporting period the Hope and Help NGO and UMCOR assisted a

total of 24 victims, 17 of whom were referred to them by law

enforcement agencies. Other NGOs or the social workers of these

NGOs discovered the remaining seven victims.



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

of ref A paragraph 26.



-- 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)?



See Paragraph 35 about the National Referral Mechanism for more

information on this topic.



For countries with legalized prostitution, does the government have

a mechanism for screening for trafficking victims among persons

involved in the

legal/regulated commercial sex trade?



Not applicable in Armenia where prostitution is illegal.



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

of ref A paragraph 26.



-- 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?



Yes, the rights of the victims are respected. They are not treated

as criminals; they are not detained, jailed or deported. According

to various observers, the attitude of the law enforcement agencies

as well as that of judges towards the victims has improved

dramatically. According to some NGOs, however, the attitude of some

police in the regions still needs further improvement.



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

of ref A paragraph 26.





YEREVAN 00000135 020.2 OF 024





-- 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, all the 34 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. And 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. No such cases reported in Armenia to date.



-- 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 basis for such a suit.

Nonetheless, according to prosecutors who handle TIP cases, none of

the victims in the 2008 cases have sought civil damages during the

reporting period. According to them, in most cases the trafficker's

or pimp's property is either registered abroad or is registered

under somebody else's name, which makes restitution virtually

impossible. According to prosecutors, victims can become daunted at

the prospect of suing for damage in such cases.



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

of ref A paragraph 26.



-- 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 paragraph 22 for answers to 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?



In 2007, the GOAM and the IOM, aided by INL/USG funds published a

manual for Armenian consular officers abroad. The manual contains

guidelines for interviewing and repatriating TIP victims.



-- What is the number of 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).



According to official information provided by the GOAM, Armenian

embassies provided return documents to two victims to assist their

return from Russia and the UAE, and they also helped in obtaining a

birth certificate for the child of the victim from the UAE. (NOTE:

The child was born while the victim was in the UAE. END NOTE)

While there is an official fee for obtaining the return documents,

the victims are exempt from this fee. Through the Armenian Embassy

in the UAE the GOAM is currently trying to help repatriate eight

putative victims who are imprisoned in Dubai. Also, through the

Georgian Embassy the GOAM is trying to repatriate an Armenian

citizen who is a victim in Turkey. The Foreign Ministry supported

the repatriation of the Russian victims from Armenia. According to

the Hope and Help NGO, thanks to the work of an Armenian Consul in

Georgia, in one case a trafficker was detained while trying to cross

the border together with a victim.



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

of ref A paragraph 26.





YEREVAN 00000135 021.2 OF 024





-- 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 of the assistance that is provided to repatriated

victims is channeled through the two existing shelters.



However, the GOAM works with other governments on regulating illegal

migration, repatriating its citizens, and preventing trafficking.

The GOAM has signed readmission agreements with Bulgaria, Sweden,

Switzerland, Lithuania, Denmark and Germany. Negotiations have

already concluded with Norway, the Benelux countries and Poland, and

the agreements are expected to be signed soon. Negotiations are

underway with the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Moldova, Estonia,

Cyprus and the Czech Republic. These agreements regulate the

procedures for the return of citizens. Armenia has a reintegration

program with Switzerland that assists people to resettle in Armenia,

through small business loans, language courses, vocational training.





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

of ref A paragraph 26.



-- 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 actors in this field. The two main NGOs that

have shelters, hotlines and specific re-integration programs are the

Hope and Help NGO and UMCOR. International organizations such as

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

range of trafficking issues. Their activities are described

throughout this report.



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

PREVENTION

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



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

of ref A paragraph 27.



-- 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.



In 2007 the Migration Agency signed an agreement with the UNDP to

implement a program entitled "Travel Safe: Pre-Migration

Registration and Appropriate Surveys." In the summer of 2008,

within this program, Migrants Support Points (MSP) were established

in Gyumri and Artashat, and the existing Migrants Service Point

under the Migration Agency was re-enhanced in Yerevan. While the

Yerevan MSP had been operation throughout the past years, the two

regional MSPs began operating in full beginning in October, 2008.

In those centers the labor migrants receive proper information and

assistance when planning to travel and work abroad. The visitors of

the MSP received brochures entitled "Useful advice for those

departing to the Russian Federation," published by the Migration

Agency with the support and funding from the Russian Migration

Service. They also received brochures entitled "Legal Guide to

Temporary Labor Migrants in the UAE," and information leaflets

prepared by UMCOR. In the Yerevan MSP, the Migration Agency

continued to maintain a hotline, where visitors could ask questions

and obtain information on trafficking. In September 2008, IOM and

UNDP trained the state officials who operated the MSPs on

international, Armenian, and destination countries' labor,

migration, and counter trafficking legislation -- including

legislation of such destination countries as the Russian Federation

and the United Arab Emirates -- and demonstrated to the officials

practical skills, including psychological skills, necessary to work

with and assist potential migrants. UNDP together with IOM also

conducted an awareness campaign with significant input from the

Migration Agency -- through TV and Radio public service

announcements and SMS campaigns -- to announce the existence of

these centers.



Throughout 2008 the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs organized

public awareness campaigns against trafficking in persons. In

particular, the Ministry organized discussions, meetings, and



YEREVAN 00000135 022.2 OF 024





training programs in GOAM regional youth centers. From October to

December 2008, the Ministry together with the regional youth center

of the Gegharkunik region carried out a youth awareness program that

encourages youth to independently raise public awareness about the

dangers of trafficking amongst other youth groups in the

populations.



In November 2008, a 25-minute documentary on labor trafficking

funded and requested by the PG's Office and prepared by the

independent Association of Investigative Journalists was aired twice

on Armenia's public television channel. (NOTE: Public TV has the

largest viewership in Armenia. END NOTE) The PG's Office also

distributed the documentary to the regions for airing on regional TV

outlets.



UNDP, with the support of various law enforcement agencies, prepared

two televised mock trials on trafficking cases (one on sexual and

the other on labor exploitation). The mock trials were aired on

about 10 TV channels in Yerevan and in the regions beginning from

late summer and ending in early fall, 2008.



On December 2, UNDP organized a commemorative event on the

celebration of International Day for Abolition of Slavery, in which

various state officials participated as guest speakers. This event

was part of a UN-led awareness raising campaign "16 Days without

Violence," that was held from November 25 till December 10. The

campaign included numerous events and activities, including

awareness-building events on trafficking, which were held on a daily

basis throughout the country. The campaign was widely covered by

the media.



UMCOR within a UNDP project prepared a movie on trafficking which

was aired on Public TV and the private Kentron TV free of charge in

December, 2008 as part of the campaign cited above.



Throughout the year the police covered the issue of trafficking

several times in its 02 TV program and 02 newspaper.



Throughout the year there were various TV and radio shows where the

issue of trafficking was the featured topic of discussion.



UMCOR in collaboration with the State Youth Centers of

Shirak and Tavush regions, selected 14 vulnerable students with

demonstrated academic accomplishments, and gave them education

scholarships for one year. In addition, during 2008, UMCOR together

with the State Employment Agencies of the Shirak and Tavush regions

worked on the development of employment programs for local

vulnerable youth geared to each region's respective labor market.



Also, as previously mentioned, the GOAM approved in November 2008

its 2009 national budget which contained three line item allocations

for funding public awareness programs on trafficking. Those are:



1) "Development and Publication of Brochures and Leaflets to Combat

TIP," approximately USD 20,000, to be administered by the Ministry

of Territorial Administration.



The Migration Agency under the Ministry of Territorial

Administration, has already received the money, and is currently

developing those brochures (50,000 copies) on the essence and

threats of Trafficking and the leaflets (100,000 copies) on the

Legal ways of entering, residing and working in foreign states.

They expect to finish the preparation and printing by the end of

April, and will then start the distribution in Yerevan and in the

regions throughout the Migrants Support Points, governor's offices

and local self-government bodies, NGOs and others.



2) "Campaigns Among Youth to Increase Awareness on the Threat of

Trafficking," approximately USD 33,000, to be administered by the

Ministry of Youth and Sport Affairs;



3) "Role of Youth in Prevention of Human Trafficking" regional

workshops, approximately USD 8,000.



The Migration Agency together with UMCOR also updated the

information leaflets that are inserted into the tickets at departure

zones in Yerevan's Zvartnots international airport.



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

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



YEREVAN 00000135 023.2 OF 024





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.



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

of ref A paragraph 27.



-- Does the government monitor immigration and

emigration patterns for evidence of trafficking? Do law enforcement

agencies screen for potential trafficking victims along borders?



The Migration Agency monitors emigration and immigration patterns in

general, but not specifically for trafficking.



The border guards do screen for potential trafficking victims along

borders, and try to reveal potential victims through interviewing of

individuals passing the border. According to the NSS this is more

feasible at the Zvartnots airport, since the flow of individuals is

not as much there, as it is at Armenia's border crossings with

Georgia. In most cases, however, trafficking victims' documents are

in order, making it legally impossible for the border guards to stop

them. The border guards do make a point of warning people traveling

for employment about trafficking in persons. The NSS also reported

a case when its border guards successfully deterred a woman, whom

they had identified as a potential trafficking victim, from

departing on her international flight. Subsequent follow-up

confirmed their suspicion that the woman was about to be trafficked

in the destination country.



The NSS-controlled border guards operated a short-term shelter at

the Bagratashen border crossing point with Georgia, which has the

capacity to host victims, or other persons, for a day or two before

referring them to appropriate care. The shelter was not used for

TIP victims, however, in the reporting period.



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

of ref A paragraph 27.



-- 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 the information on the ministerial level Council and

the inter-agency working group.



In addition, UNDP within its anti-trafficking project , finished 90

percent of its project to establish a computer network for the

Prosecutor General's Office, which will link all the regional

offices with the PG's Office. The PG and the UNDP will launch the

network in March or April 2009.



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

of ref A paragraph 27.



-- 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 actions (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 GOAM on the NAP, and

held a workshop November 13 to begin working on recommendations for

the new NAP.



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

of ref A paragraph 27.



-- What measures has the government taken during the reporting

period to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts?



No such measures have been taken that the Mission is aware of.





YEREVAN 00000135 024.2 OF 024





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

of ref A paragraph 27.



-- 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 that the Mission is aware of.



49. (U) Per request in ref A, the following are estimates of numbers

of hours spent on the preparation of the 2009 TIP report cable by

various embassy officers.



Political Assistant: 120 hours

Political Officer (FS-02): 20 hours

Pol/Econ Section Head/Acting DCM (FS-02): 10 hours

INL FSN: 3 hours

INL Officer (FS-02): 1 hour



50. (U) Post's POC for TIP issues is Daniel Hastings, Pol-Econ

officer. Office telephone is (374-10) 49-43-02; cell phone is

(374-91) 40-34-96; fax is (374-10) 46-47-42.



YOVANOVITCH