The Fight Against Trafficking in Persons in Armenia

Embassy of The United States
Yerevan, Armenia
The Fight Against Trafficking in Persons in Armenia

On June 5, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice released the Department of
State's fifth annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. This annual report is intended to raise global awareness of human trafficking, underscore the growing efforts of the international community to combat this problem, and encourage nations around the world to take effective actions against this abuse. The report puts it bluntly: Trafficking in persons is modern day slavery, and it is a crime that affects virtually every country, including the United States.

To my regret, Armenia still has a significant trafficking in persons problem. This year, Armenia was once again placed on the TIP Report's Tier 2 Watch List. Countries that do not comply with the minimum standards to combat trafficking, but that are making significant efforts to meet those standards, are classified as Tier 2. Armenia was placed on the Watch List for a second consecutive year because of its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts over the past year, particularly in the areas of enforcement, trafficking-related corruption and victim protection. While the government improved overall implementation of its anti-trafficking law, it
did not impose adequate penalties for convicted traffickers. It did not vigorously enough investigate and prosecute ongoing and widespread allegations of public officials' complicity in trafficking, and victim protection efforts remained in an early, formative stage.

In order to improve its efforts and to avoid dropping to Tier 3, a step that can lead to the withholding of U.S. non-humanitarian and non-trade related assistance, Armenia needs to more aggressively prosecute traffickers and mete out more significant penalties to convicted traffickers. The government ought to vigorously investigate and prosecute all allegations of public officials? complicity in trafficking, and should improve its victim protection efforts to help victims of this serious crime.

The United States, the Republic of Armenia and all countries around the world must work together to combat and eventually eliminate trafficking in persons. In addition to the $400 million in international anti-trafficking assistance that it has contributed to date, the U.S. government continues to fight trafficking in persons in the United States and throughout the world. As President George W. Bush recently noted, "Our nation is determined to fight and end this modern form of slavery." For millions of enslaved people around the world, this new abolitionist movement has come none too soon.

Ara Manoogian
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia