Armenia

The Government of Armenia has made minimal progress in addressing trafficking in persons since the release of the 2007 TIP Report. Most notably, it did not take steps to combat trafficking-related corruption.

The government continued to use its anti-trafficking law to investigate, prosecute, and convict traffickers. The Prosecutor General´s office regularly publishes on its website crime reports that include detailed reports and statistics on trafficking crimes. The government continues to fail to address trafficking-related official complicity and did not vigorously investigate or prosecute official corruption as it relates to trafficking.

Government agencies referred an increased number of trafficking victims to appropriate NGO care, but did not provide financial assistance to anti-trafficking NGOs. The government has not yet drafted a national referral mechanism, although a working group was established in October 2007. In December 2007, the government approved the new 2007-2009 National Plan of Action on Combating Trafficking in Persons, and elevated the inter-agency anti-TIP commission to a ministerial council chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister. The government conducted a trafficking awareness program for orphans who are leaving the state´s care, a highly vulnerable group. In September 2007, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs co-hosted an anti-trafficking awareness seminar with an international organization that resulted in media appearances by officials and NGOs.