Human Trafficking Report on Armenia 2008
Human Trafficking Report on Armenia 2008
ARMENIA (Tier 2 Watch List)
Armenia is a primarily a source country for women and girls trafficked to the
United Arab Emirates
(U.A.E.) and Turkey for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation. Armenian
men and women are
trafficked to Turkey and Russia for the purpose of forced labor. According to
the OSCE, there has been
one documented case of Ukrainian and Russian women trafficked to Armenia for
the purposes of
sexual exploitation. Victims trafficked to the U.A.E. usually fly to Dubai from
Yerevan or via Moscow;
the trafficking route to Turkey is generally via bus through Georgia. Armenian
law enforcement
reports indicate that destination countries now also include Qatar, Bahrain,
and Kuwait; however, no
official cases involving these countries as destinations have surfaced.
The Government of Armenia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for
the elimination of
trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so.
Armenia is placed on Tier 2 Watch List for a fourth consecutive year because
its efforts to increase
compliance with the minimum standards were assessed based on its commitments
to undertake
future actions over the coming year, particularly in the areas of improving
victim protection and
assistance. While the government elevated antitrafficking responsibilities to
the ministerial level,
adopted a new National Action Plan, and drafted a National Referral Mechanism,
it has yet to show
tangible progress in identifying and protecting victims or in tackling trafficking
complicity of
government officials.