US embassy cable - 05YEREVAN2051

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 002051 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR G/TIP, DRL AND EUR/CACEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, KCRM, PHUM, AM, KTIP, UA 
SUBJECT: ARMENIA AS A DESTINATION COUNTRY--GOAM 
RESPONDS WELL TO FIRST TIP CASE 
 
(U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. (SBU) Tracking an alarm received from the "Hope and 
Help" NGO, the National Security Service (NSS), on 
November 16, discovered four trafficking victims from 
Ukraine in one of Yerevan's night-clubs.  This is the 
first clear case of trafficking in which Armenia was 
the destination country and the government responded 
both quickly and appropriately.  The victims, one of 
whom is a minor, are currently in the Hope and Help 
shelter and will return to Ukraine shortly.  The 
Prosecutor General's Office took the lead on this case 
on November 18 and launched a criminal case on charges 
of Article 132.2 of the Criminal Code, i.e., 
Trafficking with aggravating circumstances.  End 
Summary. 
 
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IOM/HOPE AND HELP/NSS - EFFECTIVE COOPERATION 
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2. (SBU) The "Hope and Help" NGO (which implements an 
INL-funded anti-Trafficking project through IOM 
including a safe-haven shelter) received an alarm about 
two Ukrainian victims on November 15 from the 
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Kiev 
office via IOM's Yerevan office.  One of the victims 
had managed to inform her parents about her situation, 
and the parents had applied to the IOM-Kiev office. 
The National Security Service (NSS), whom "Hope and 
Help" contacted, reacted quickly and the next day, 
November 16, discovered four (instead of the expected 
two) Ukrainian victims in a night-club (entertainment 
complex) called "Khrjit" (Hut) located in the Masis 
rural area near Yerevan's southern city limits. 
 
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VICTIMS' DETAILS 
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3. (SBU) The victims (ages 16, 19, 23 and 32) were 
recruited in Kiev by an Armenian, Ashot Hovsepyan, who 
had promised them high earnings working as striptease 
dancers.  Upon arrival, the traffickers took travel 
documents from the victims and forced them to strip- 
dance for little or no money and occasionally forced 
them to have sexual intercourse with their clients. 
The traffickers imposed exaggerated debts on the 
victims for travel, clothing and other expenses, which 
the victims had to repay.  The victims had been in 
Armenia for periods ranging from 20 days to 4 months. 
 
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OTHER VICTIMS IN ARMENIA IN THE PAST 
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4. (SBU) According to "Hope and Help" the victims were 
under tight control, and went through both 
psychological and physical pressure (including 
beatings, rape).  According to the victims, some 10-12 
other girls, both Ukrainian and Armenian, have been 
kept in this night club in the same manner in the past. 
"Hope and Help" intends to send the girls back to 
Ukraine as soon as possible (tentatively November 27) 
with IOM-Kiev's funds.  One of the girls, however, has 
decided to stay in Yerevan, as she is a professional 
dancer and wants to earn money in Armenia.  (Note: 
Despite this fact, she was in the same situation as the 
others, i.e. she was also victimized.  End Note.) 
 
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CRIMINAL CASE LAUNCHED UNDER THE PROPER STATUTE 
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5. (SBU) On November 18, the Prosecutor General's 
Office launched a criminal case on charges of Article 
132 against Ashot Hovsepyan, the recruiter in Ukraine, 
and Sos Meliksetyan, the night-club owner.  Ashot 
Hovsepyan's location is unknown, Sos Meliksetyan is in 
Yerevan, although not currently in custody.  The 
Prosecutor's Office confirmed that Armenia was the 
final destination country of these women.  The 
Prosecutor's Office is actively investigating the case, 
taking testimony of the victims and questioning the 
defendant. 
 
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COMMENT 
 
6. (SBU) We are pleased with this result so far.  Our 
calls to publicize Armenia's National Action Plan seem 
to have borne some fruit.  The NSS was well aware of 
IOM and "Hope and Help's" resources and took full 
advantage of them.  We will monitor the actions of the 
Prosecutor's Office, since it has proven in the past to 
be the weakest link in Armenia's anti-TIP effort. 
 
7. (SBU) Armenia's capital is full of night-clubs, 
casinos, and entertainment complexes (with saunas and 
motels), some of which openly advertise sexual 
services.  Lack of prior legal action, however, has 
resulted in little public attention to the possibility 
of trafficking within these facilities.  This case may 
signal a new pattern of trafficking in Armenia, which 
Post will follow closely. 
EVANS