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Armenia: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2004

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  • Armenia: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2004

    Armenia
    U.S. Department of State
    Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2004
    Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
    February 28, 2005

    Armenia is a republic with a Constitution that provides for the separation
    of powers; however, the directly elected president has broad executive
    powers that are not balanced by the legislature (National Assembly) or the
    judiciary. The President appoints the Prime Minister, most senior government
    officials, and judges at all levels. In March 2003, President Robert
    Kocharian was re-elected for a second 5-year term in elections marred by
    serious voting irregularities. The May 2003 parliamentary election was
    flawed similarly and did not meet international standards. The Constitution
    provides for an independent judiciary; however, in practice, judges were
    subject to pressure from the executive branch, and corruption was a problem.
    The National Police and the National Security Service are responsible for
    domestic security, intelligence activities, border control, and the police
    force. Both operate independently of any government ministry. The civilian
    authorities maintained effective control of the security forces. Some
    members of the security forces committed a number of human rights abuses.
    The slow but steady transition from a centralized command economy to a
    market economy continued. The country's economy remained primarily
    agricultural with manufacturing and expanding service sectors. The country's
    population was approximately 3 million. During the year, gross domestic
    product grew an estimated 10.1 percent. The inflation rate was 7 percent;
    unemployment was estimated at approximately 20 percent, and, in most
    sectors, wages kept pace with inflation. There was a high degree of
    corruption, income inequality, and continued consolidation of wealth into
    the hands of a select few. Approximately 43 percent of the population lived
    below the official poverty rate, a 7 percent decrease from previous years,
    and there was a large shadow economy.

    The Government's human rights record remained poor; although there were some
    improvements in a few areas, serious problems remained. Security forces beat
    pretrial detainees, and impunity remained a problem. There were instances of
    arbitrary arrests and detentions. In April, police used excessive force to
    disperse an opposition rally, detained opposition politicians, and raided
    opposition party offices. During the year, the Government helped to create a
    civilian prison monitoring board and permitted independent monitoring of
    prison conditions. There were reports that the Government limited the right
    to privacy. There were some limits on press freedom. Journalists engaged in
    self-censorship to avoid problems with government authorities, and there
    were some instances of violence against journalists. The law places some
    restrictions on religious freedom. In October, the Government approved the
    registration of Jehovah's Witnesses as a legal entity. While the Government
    took steps to limit trafficking in persons, violence against women and
    trafficking of women and children remained problems. Societal harassment of
    homosexuals and Yezidis was also a problem.

    RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
    Section 1
    Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom From:
    a. Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life
    There were no reports of politically motivated killings by the Government or
    its agents; however, there were some deaths in the military as a result of
    mistreatment.
    The Military Prosecutor's Office reported six deaths; however, the cause of
    the deaths was unknown. Each case was investigated, but the Prosecutor did
    not announce final results.
    There was one cease-fire violation along the border with Azerbaijan. In
    June, cross-border fire and shelling in the Tavush region resulted in a
    number of casualties on both sides.
    During the year, there were a few deaths due to landmines, although reliable
    statistics were difficult to obtain. All sides involved in the
    Nagorno-Karabakh conflict used landmines, which have been laid along the
    540-mile border with Azerbaijan and along the line of contact.
    b. Disappearance
    There were no reports of politically motivated disappearances.
    c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
    The Constitution prohibits such practices; however, government security
    forces employed them. Witnesses reported numerous cases of police beating
    citizens during arrest and interrogation while in detention. Most cases of
    police brutality went unreported because of fear of police retribution.
    Police used excessive force to disperse protestors after an 8-hour political
    rally on April 12 and 13; some journalists were among those beaten (see
    Sections 2.a. and 2.b.). Human rights nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)
    also reported claims by detainees that police beat them during pretrial
    detention.
    In July, a law went into effect that changed the Soviet-era definition of
    mental illness. Although there have been no reported cases of wrongful
    psychiatric commitment, the law closes an apparent legal loophole that made
    unwarranted commitment possible. Under the new law, a person can only be
    forcibly committed by a court order and only if a panel of psychiatrists
    finds the person to be mentally ill and a danger to the community.
    Although there was no reliable or current reporting on the full extent of
    military hazing, human rights NGOs reported that soldiers continued to
    complain of frequent hazing. In 2003, a local NGO estimated that there were
    30 hazing incidents. Homosexuals and Yezidis, a non-Muslim, Kurdish,
    religious-ethnic group, also reported that they were singled out for hazing
    by officers and other conscripts (see Sections 2.c. and 5). Military
    officials did not take any significant measures to limit or stop the hazing.
    Mikael Danielyan, director of a human rights organization, was beaten by
    four unidentified persons near the entrance to his home (see Section 4). At
    year's end, there was no progress in the investigation of an attack on
    opposition politician Ashot Manucharian.
    Prison conditions remained poor and posed a threat to health. Holding and
    detention cells were overcrowded, and most did not have toilets. Prison
    authorities did not provide most inmates with basic hygienic supplies.
    According to the newly formed Civil Society Monitoring Board (CSMB),
    prisoners remained at a high risk to contract tuberculosis, and adolescents
    held in juvenile facilities rarely were provided with the schooling required
    by law. The CSMB also reported that, in certain jails, prisoners paid bribes
    to move into single occupancy cells and to obtain additional comforts. In
    some prisons, monitors noted that prisoners had difficulty mailing letters
    and that some prison officials did not facilitate family visits adequately.
    Men, women, and juveniles were held in separate prisons, and pretrial
    detainees were held separately from prisoners. CSMB monitors reported that
    female prisoners had more freedom of movement, and that their facility was
    cleaner and better equipped and maintained than prisons for men.
    The Government permitted independent monitoring of prison conditions by
    local NGOs and international human rights groups such as the International
    Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). In June, the Ministry of Justice (MOJ)
    authorized the CSMB to visit prisons without giving advance notice; however,
    the National Police Ministry did not allow some local monitoring groups to
    visit holding cells where detainees could be kept for up to 3 days without
    charge and where most abuse was believed to occur.
    The ICRC and CSMB had access to all detention facilities, including holding
    cells, prisons, and local police stations to conduct independent monitoring
    and to meet with detainees and prisoners. Both reported that prisoners spoke
    freely and openly about their treatment and prison conditions.
    d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention
    The Constitution prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention; however, in
    practice, the authorities continued to arrest and detain criminal suspects
    without legal warrants. Impunity was a problem.
    The police and the National Security Service (NSS) are jointly responsible
    for domestic security, intelligence activities, border patrols, and the
    police force. Both are independent government ministries that lacked
    training, resources, and established procedures to implement reforms or to
    prevent incidents of abuse. Prisoners reported to local and international
    monitoring groups that police and NSS authorities did little to investigate
    allegations of abuse. As a result, impunity was a serious problem.
    Corruption also remained a large problem in the police force and security
    service.
    To make an arrest, prosecutors and police must first obtain a warrant from a
    judge except in cases of imminent flight risk or when a crime is in
    progress. Judges rarely denied police requests for arrest warrants, and
    police sometimes made arrests without a warrant, often on the pretext that
    detainees were material witnesses.
    There is no bail system; however, a prisoner may be released to a form of
    house arrest under certain circumstances and at the discretion of the court;
    however, most defendants remained in detention.
    The law also requires police to inform detainees of their right to remain
    silent, to make a phone call, and to be represented by an attorney from the
    moment of arrest and before indictment; however, in practice, police did not
    always abide by the law. Police often questioned and pressured detainees to
    confess prior to indictment when they did not have an attorney present.
    According to the law, a detainee must be indicted or released within 3 days
    of arrest, and this procedure was followed in practice. Police sometimes
    restricted access to detainees by family members.
    During protest rallies in the spring, arbitrary detention was a problem.
    According to the country's Human Rights Ombudsman and a human rights NGO,
    between April 13 and 15 police detained and questioned 115 individuals in
    connection with an April 12-13 protest rally. Approximately 35 were held in
    detention for up to 15 days under a Soviet-era law that prescribes
    administrative detention (see Section 2.b.).
    On May 20, police detained up to 25 opposition activists in anticipation of
    an opposition rally. According to media reports and opposition sources, the
    authorities fined and released some of the activists; however, more than a
    dozen were detained for up to 10 days under the administrative detention law
    for using foul language and insulting police officers. In most of these
    cases, defense attorneys were not allowed to meet with detainees until after
    court proceedings were completed. The rallies took place as planned, and
    they proceeded peacefully.
    Lengthy pretrial detention remained a problem. According to the law, a
    suspect may not be detained for more than 12 months
    pending trial; however, in practice, this provision was not always enforced.
    Both prosecutors and defense attorneys frequently requested trial
    postponements on the grounds that they required more time to prepare for
    trial.
    e. Denial of Fair Public Trial
    The Constitution provides for an independent judiciary; however, in
    practice, courts were subject to political pressure from the executive and
    legislative branches, and corruption was a problem. Unlike in previous
    years, lengthy public trials were not a problem.
    The Constitution provides for a three-tier court system. The highest court
    is the Court of Cassation. There are also two lower-level courts: The Court
    of Appeals; and courts of the first instance. Most cases originate in courts
    of first instance; appeals are lodged with the Court of Appeals and the
    Court of Cassation. The Constitutional Court rules on the conformity of
    legislation with the Constitution, approves international agreements, and
    decides election-related questions; however, it can only accept cases
    proposed by the President, approved by a two-thirds majority of Parliament,
    and cases on election-related issues brought by candidates who ran for
    parliament or president. These limitations, combined with the judiciary's
    lack of independence, prevented the Constitutional Court from ensuring
    compliance with the human rights safeguards provided by the Constitution.
    Under the Constitution, the Council of Justice, which is co-chaired by the
    President, the Prosecutor General, and the Justice Minister, appoints and
    disciplines judges for the courts of first instance, Courts of Appeals, and
    the Court of Cassation. The President appoints the other 14 members of the
    Justice Council and 4 of the 9 Constitutional Court judges. This authority
    gives the president dominant influence in appointing and dismissing judges
    at all levels.
    The Constitution requires that all trials be public except when government
    secrets are at issue. Juries are not used in trials; a single judge issues
    verdicts in all courts except the Court of Cassation and the Constitutional
    Court, where a panel of judges presides.
    Defendants are required to attend their trials unless they have been accused
    of a minor crime not punishable by imprisonment.
    They also have access to a lawyer of their own choosing, and the Helsinki
    Association reported that the Government provided a lawyer to defendants who
    requested legal counsel; however, individuals often chose to defend
    themselves. More than half of all defendants chose to argue their own case
    in court due to the perception that public defenders colluded with
    prosecutors.
    Defendants may confront witnesses and present evidence. Defendants and their
    attorneys may examine the Government's case in advance of trial. Judges
    generally granted requests by defendants for additional time to prepare
    their cases.
    The Constitution provides for the presumption of innocence; however, in
    practice this right was not always observed. Prosecutors often did not begin
    a trial if they believed they would not obtain a guilty verdict. As a
    result, defendants remained in detention during extended pretrial
    investigations. Both defendants and prosecutors have the right to appeal.
    The law does not allow detainees to file a complaint prior to trial to
    address alleged abuses committed by the Prosecutor's Office, the police, or
    other security forces during criminal investigations. Failure to testify is
    a criminal offense; detainees must obtain permission from the police or the
    Prosecutor's Office to obtain a forensic medical examination to substantiate
    a report of torture. Defense lawyers may present evidence of torture in an
    effort to overturn improperly obtained confessions; however, defendants
    stated that judges and prosecutors refused to admit such evidence into court
    proceedings even when perpetrator(s) could be identified.
    There is no military court system; trials involving military personnel take
    place in civilian courts, but they are handled by military procurators.
    Military prosecutors performed the same functions as their civilian
    counterparts and operated in accordance with the criminal code.
    In April, a court of appeals upheld the convictions of some of the
    defendants who were convicted for murder and terrorism in the 1999 attacks
    on the National Assembly. In December 2003, a Yerevan district court
    sentenced six persons to life in prison; a seventh received a 14-year
    sentence.
    There were no reports of political prisoners.
    f. Arbitrary Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or
    Correspondence
    The Constitution prohibits unauthorized searches and provides for the right
    to privacy and confidentiality of correspondence, conversations, and other
    communications; however, the Government did not always respect these rights
    in practice.
    Under the law, authorities must obtain permission from a judge, on the basis
    of compelling evidence, to wiretap a telephone or to intercept
    correspondence; however, in practice the law was not strictly enforced and
    some judges arbitrarily granted permission.
    In May, an opposition leader complained that authorities had tapped his
    telephone.
    The law also requires authorities to obtain search warrants, and allows the
    judiciary to exclude evidence obtained without a legal warrant. In several
    cases, judges refused to issue warrants because of a lack of compelling
    evidence and excluded evidence from trials that was obtained illegally.
    Unlike the previous year, there were no reports of forced conscription of
    ethnic Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan, who by law are exempt from
    military service. However, police, at times, maintained surveillance of
    draft age men to prevent them from fleeing the country.
    Section 2
    Respect for Civil Liberties, Including:
    a. Freedom of Speech and Press
    The Constitution provides for freedom of speech and of the press; however,
    the Government partially limited freedom of speech, and there were several
    incidents of violence, intimidation, and self-censorship.
    On April 12, according to several media reports, police detained a man in
    the capital for attempting to announce an opposition rally scheduled for
    later in the day. He was detained and released after questioning.
    Most newspapers were privately owned with the exception of Hayastani
    Hanrapetutyun and its Russian-language version Respublika Armenia. The state
    printing house and distribution agency, which published many of the
    country's newspapers, functioned as commercial enterprise with no apparent
    government intervention. No newspaper was completely independent of
    patronage from economic or political interest groups or individuals.
    According to the Yerevan Press Club, total newspaper circulation in the
    country was 60,000, an increase of 20,000 from the previous year. There were
    27 newspapers available in the capital, 6 of which were published daily and
    the remainder less frequently.
    Because of low newspaper circulation, most persons in the country relied on
    television and radio for news and information. Nationwide, there were more
    than 20 radio stations and more than 40 television broadcasters; most were
    privately run. In the capital and other regional cities, private television
    stations offered generally independent news coverage of good technical
    quality; however, the substantive quality of news reporting on television
    and radio varied due to self-censorship by journalists and the stations'
    dependence on patronage.
    Senior officials within President Kocharian's office continued to
    significantly influence state television news coverage by providing policy
    guidance to Public TV of Armenia. While the news reporting on Public TV was
    mostly factual, it avoided editorial commentary or criticism of the
    Government. For example, it provided little coverage of the April 12 and 13
    political demonstrations in the capital (see Sections 1.d., 2.b. and 3).
    In March 2003, Kentron TV, a new, national television channel affiliated
    with a widely distributed newspaper with ties to the opposition, was awarded
    a broadcast frequency that belonged to A-One Plus, one of the country's last
    independent television stations. Some critics of the decision, made by the
    National Commission on Radio and Television, said A-One Plus lost its
    broadcast license in 2002 because of sharp critical coverage of President
    Kocharian's administration.
    In October, Kentron television chose to discontinue program collaboration
    with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Kentron's director stated that agents
    of the Government had not contacted his station about the program but that
    it felt pressure to replace the program. In the past, Kentron TV replaced
    on-air personalities for lacking objectivity and being too political.
    Major media outlets in the country were generally pro-government. For
    example, during the 2003 presidential election campaign, the majority of the
    media, including Public TV of Armenia, most private television stations, and
    the major state-funded newspaper, all provided heavily biased news coverage
    that favored incumbent President Kocharian.
    International media outlets operated freely in the country. Local stations
    rebroadcast several Russian television stations and CNN, and authorities did
    not censor the few international newspapers and magazines that were
    available in the country.
    Harassment of journalists was a problem. At an April 5 opposition rally, men
    in civilian clothing smashed the video cameras of at least four journalists,
    assaulted several reporters, and destroyed filmed footage of the events.
    According to eyewitness accounts, police stood by and did not intervene to
    stop the attacks. On June 10, a court found two men guilty of the attack;
    each was ordered to pay a fine of $188 (100,000 Dram).
    On April 13, police beat at least three journalists and destroyed or
    confiscated their video cameras after an opposition rally. The journalists
    maintained that they had identified themselves to police as working
    reporters.
    On August 24, a journalist was assaulted after photographing a luxury villa
    owned by a Member of Parliament as part of a report he and a colleague were
    preparing. In October, a court of first instance sentenced a man to 6 months
    in jail for the assault.
    There also were unconfirmed reports of incidents of harassment and
    intimidation of journalists outside the capital.
    There was no official censorship; however, there were continued reports of
    intimidation of journalists, and some print journalists continued to
    practice self-censorship to avoid problems with the Government and because
    of pressure from official sources.
    In June, the Government repealed a provision in the criminal code that
    punished libel of a public official with up to 3 years' imprisonment;
    however, violations were still considered to be a criminal offence. The
    revised code increased financial penalties for libel as well as the penalty
    for libeling a government official.
    The Government did not restrict access to the Internet or academic freedom.
    b. Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association
    The Constitution provides for freedom of assembly; however, there were some
    limits on this right.
    In March and April, authorities denied several requests from opposition
    parties for permits to organize rallies and demonstrations in the capital
    and other cities. The Government did not interfere when small rallies took
    place without permission. However, between April 13 and 15, police detained
    and questioned 115 persons in connection with an April 12 and 13 protest
    rally that attracted an estimated 7,000 persons; approximately 35 persons
    were detained for up to 15 days (see Sections 1.d. and 3).
    On April 13, at approximately 2:00 a.m., police used excessive force to
    disperse hundreds of protesters who remained in front of the National
    Assembly and had blocked a major city street for more than 8 hours. A number
    of protesters sought treatment for injuries at a local hospital, some of
    which were caused by police use of flash grenades, water cannon, and batons.
    Police also beat several journalists who covered the opposition rallies (see
    Section 2.a.) and ransacked opposition party offices after dispersing the
    protestors.
    On April 28, the National Assembly passed a law that lifted the requirement
    to obtain a government permit to organize rallies or demonstrations.
    Organizers now must only notify authorities in advance of their plans for
    such events. However, the new law, which took effect in June, limits the
    locations where demonstrations can be held without permission. For example,
    demonstrations in front of government offices, monuments, and venues where
    another rally or public event is taking place still require a police permit.
    The law also empowers police to break up illegal rallies and demonstrations,
    particularly those that encourage violence and the overthrow of the
    Government.
    The Constitution provides for freedom of association; however, there were
    some limits on this right. Registration requirements
    for all political parties, associations, and secular and religious
    organizations remained cumbersome, exacting, and time-consuming. In 2003,
    the Government compelled some human rights and political organizations to
    revise their bylaws several times before approving their registration
    application; however, during the year, no human rights groups or political
    organizations reported problems with registration.
    c. Freedom of Religion
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, there were some
    restrictions in practice. The Armenian Apostolic Church has formal legal
    status as the national church, and enjoys some privileges not afforded to
    other faiths.
    The law grants specific rights to minority religious groups that register
    with the National Registrar. Religious organizations that are not registered
    cannot publish newspapers or magazines, rent meeting places on government
    property, broadcast television or radio programs, or sponsor official
    visitors.
    In October, the State Registrar registered the Jehovah's Witnesses as a
    legal entity. The group had applied for registration 13 times since 1995. In
    November, senior members of the Armenian Apostolic Church called on the
    Government to reverse the registration, saying the group's activities ran
    counter to the country's interests. The Government ignored these requests.
    The law prohibits "proselytizing," which is not defined in the law, by
    minority religions and bans foreign funding for foreign-based churches;
    however, neither ban was enforced and members of Jehovah's Witnesses
    reported gains in membership.
    Unregistered religious organizations may not import large shipments of
    religious literature; only small quantities were allowed into the country
    for private use. The law also requires all religious organizations, except
    the Armenian Apostolic Church, to obtain prior permission to engage in
    public religious activities, travel abroad, or to invite foreign guests to
    the country; however, in practice, no travel restrictions were imposed on
    any religious denomination.
    The Jewish community reported several incidents of verbal harassment during
    the year. The director of ALM TV frequently made anti-Semitic remarks on the
    air, and the Union of Armenian Aryans, a small, ultranationalist group,
    called for the country to be "purified" of Jews and Yezidis.
    In May, Jewish groups complained to government authorities about the
    distribution of anti-Semitic literature. Authorities said the imported
    literature apparently violated the Law on Distributing Literature Inflaming
    National Hatred and recommended that the groups file a complaint with the
    Prosecutor General's office. However, neither police nor Jewish groups were
    able to identify the importers, and Jewish leaders had not taken any formal
    action by year's end.
    On September 17, offices of the Jewish community in Yerevan received a
    message that vandals had damaged the local memorial to the victims of the
    Holocaust. Several photographs of the memorial were taken, and the vandalism
    was reported immediately to the local police, the Ministry of Religious
    Affairs, and the government-owned television channel. A television crew
    arrived at the site together with an official from the Jewish community in
    Yerevan and discovered that the memorial had been wiped clean, apparently by
    the park guard. There was no further investigation into the incident.
    Yezidi leaders reported that police and local authorities subjected their
    religious community to discrimination and that a small ultra-nationalist
    group, the Union of Armenian Aryans, had called for the country to be
    "purified" of Yezidis (see Section 5, National Minorities).
    According to observers, the general population viewed "nontraditional"
    religious groups with suspicion and expressed negative attitudes about
    Jehovah's Witnesses, because they refused to serve in the military and
    misunderstood their proselytizing practices. Jehovah's Witnesses continued
    to be targets of hostile sermons by some Armenian Apostolic Church clerics
    and experienced occasional societal discrimination.
    As a result of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan, most of the
    country's Muslim Azeri population had left by 1991. The few remaining
    Muslims in the country kept a low profile. There was no formally operating
    mosque, although one surviving 18th century mosque in the capital remained
    open for Friday prayers. Although it was not registered as a religious
    facility, the Government did not create any obstacles for Muslims who wished
    to pray there. Approximately 1,000 Muslims resided in the capital.
    In June, a new law on Alternative Military Service, took effect to exempt
    conscientious objectors from the draft, and, by year's end, the National
    Assembly completed all legal requirements to implement the law. However, 10
    members of the Jehovah's Witnesses remained in prison for refusing
    compulsory military service as conscientious objectors before the law went
    into effect; 3 others were in pretrial detention for draft evasion or
    desertion, and 17 others who were imprisoned, were released to house arrest
    after serving one-third of their sentences.
    For a more detailed discussion, see the 2004 International Religious Freedom
    Report.
    d. Freedom of Movement Within The Country, Foreign Travel, Emigration, and
    Repatriation
    The Constitution provides for these rights; however, in practice, there were
    some restrictions on these rights.
    The Government generally did not restrict internal movement, and citizens
    had the right to change their residence or workplace; however, corruption
    and an inefficient bureaucracy hindered citizens' efforts to register
    changes.
    In April, human rights groups reported that police stopped cars from
    entering the capital in an attempt to prevent opposition members from
    attending protest rallies.
    The law requires authorities to issue passports to all citizens, expect for
    convicted felons; however, an exit stamp may be denied to persons who
    possess state secrets, are subject to military service, are involved in
    pending court cases, or whose relatives have lodged financial claims against
    them. An exit stamp is valid for up to 5 years and may be used without
    limit. Men of military age must overcome substantial bureaucratic obstacles
    to travel abroad.
    The Constitution does not prohibit forced exile; however, there were no
    reports that the Government employed it.
    In December, the Norwegian Refugee Council reported that 4,077 internally
    displaced persons (IDPs) lived in the country.
    During the country's war with Azerbaijan, the Government evacuated as many
    as 65,000 persons from the border region, but most returned or settled
    elsewhere. Of the 4,077 remaining IDPs, almost two-thirds could not return
    to their villages, which are surrounded by Azeri territory. Others chose not
    to return because of a collapse of industry near the border and a fear or
    landmines. IDPs enjoyed full rights as citizens, but the Government has not
    created any special programs to help them adjust to their new surroundings.
    There were no reports of abuse of IDPs.
    The law provides for the granting of asylum or refugee status to persons in
    accordance with the 1951 U.N. Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees
    or its 1967 Protocol, and the Government has established a system for
    providing protection to most refugees. In practice, the Government provided
    protection against refoulement, the return of persons to a country where
    they feared persecution. The Government grants refugee status or asylum;
    however, during the year, no refugees were granted asylum; 10 were denied
    asylum.
    The Government cooperated with the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for
    Refugees and other humanitarian organizations in assisting refugees and
    asylum seekers.
    Since 1988, the Government has accepted as many as 360,000 refugees from
    Azerbaijan. In February 2003, the law on refugees was amended to improve
    temporary protection for an estimated 12,000 ethnic Armenian refugees from
    Chechnya and Abkhazia.
    During the year, the Government also provided temporary protection to
    approximately 96 individuals who did not qualify as refugees under the 1951
    Convention/1967 Protocol. Most of these individuals were ethnic Armenians
    fleeing war in Iraq.
    There was an established procedure to recognize asylum, but border officials
    had little training on asylum issues, which, at times, caused delays at
    airports and land borders.
    Ethnic Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan are eligible for citizenship upon
    request, and other ethnic Armenians can generally receive resident status
    and citizenship after a slightly longer process.
    Unlike in the previous year, there were no reports of harassment of
    refugees.
    Section 3
    Respect for Political Rights: The Right of Citizens to Change Their
    Government
    The Constitution provides citizens with the right to change their government
    peacefully; however, the right was restricted in practice due to continued
    flaws in elections.
    International observers found both the 2003 presidential and parliamentary
    elections to be well below international standards. There were serious
    irregularities, including ballot box stuffing, discrepancies in vote counts,
    partisan election commissions, and wide use of public resources to support
    the incumbent president.
    Authorities harassed opposition supporters, including arrests. Unlike in
    previous years, there were no reports of punitive job dismissals. In
    Yerevan, more than 200 persons were detained between the 2 rounds of the
    presidential election in February and March 2003 for participating in
    unsanctioned campaign rallies.
    Opposition candidates filed several legal complaints with the Constitutional
    Court challenging the results of the presidential election. In March 2003,
    the high court said it had identified irregularities and criticized the
    Government's handling of the electoral process; however, it ruled that there
    was no constitutional basis to change the outcome of the election.
    >>From March through May, opposition groups demonstrated in the capital and
    other major cities to demand a referendum on the mandate of the President.
    At the height of a protest on April 12, approximately 10,000 individuals
    gathered in front of the National Assembly. Police used excessive force to
    disperse some 1,000 protesters in the early morning hours of April 13 (see
    Section 2.b.).
    Of the 131 seats in the National Assembly, 96 were occupied by
    pro-government parties or deputies that make up the governing coalition.
    Unaffiliated deputies held 17 seats, most of whom voted frequently with the
    pro-government bloc. Opposition candidates and parties secured 22 seats; a
    few of the unaffiliated deputies voted with the opposition.
    Corruption was perceived to be widespread. According to an opinion survey
    released in September by a local research institute, a large majority of
    citizens believed that corruption exists "in all spheres and at all levels"
    in the country. A similar survey in 2003 indicated that citizens believed
    that corrupt authorities were not truly committed to fighting corruption.
    In January, the Government adopted an ambitious anti-corruption strategy,
    and, in March, the President appointed a special commission to implement it.
    During the year, the commission primarily focused on establishing its
    internal organizational procedures.
    In 2003, the Government adopted the Law on Freedom of Information, which
    provides for access to information as well as its dissemination and
    transparency; however, the law was rarely followed, and most journalists and
    officials remained unaware of its provisions.
    There were 6 women in the 131-seat Parliament but no women in the cabinet.
    There were no ethnic minority representatives in the Cabinet or in
    Parliament.
    The country's population is homogeneous; at least 98 percent were ethnic
    Armenians. Minorities are not prohibited from running for election, and some
    have done so.
    Section 4
    Governmental Attitude Regarding International and Nongovernmental
    Investigation of Alleged Violations of
    Human Rights
    A number of domestic and international human rights groups generally
    operated without government restrictions, investigating and publishing their
    findings on human rights cases. Government officials were somewhat
    cooperative and responsive to their views.
    During the year, more than 20 local religious and human rights organizations
    operated in the country.
    The Government was generally cooperative with international NGOs, and there
    were no reports of government harassment of other international human rights
    NGOs.
    On March 30, the director of a human rights organization, Mikael Danielyan,
    was beaten by four unidentified persons near the entrance to his home.
    According to Danielyan, the attack was triggered by an interview with an
    Azerbaijani newspaper. According to observers, some local groups interpreted
    his remarks about the country's authorities as traitorous. Danielyan
    reported the attack to authorities and to the country's Human Rights
    Ombudsman. The Prosecutor General opened an investigation into the case, but
    Danielyan refused to cooperate with the investigation. At year's end, there
    was no significant progress in the investigation (see Section 1.c.).
    In March 2003, the Helsinki Citizen's Association suspected that a fire at
    one its regional offices was caused by arson; however, an investigation
    later showed the fire began as a result of faulty wiring.
    In June, the Government cooperated with a commission from the Parliamentary
    Assembly of the Council of Europe, which reviewed the human rights situation
    in the country. The commission reported that, while the Government has made
    some progress, the most important areas for reform in the near future are
    election laws, the constitution, and the judiciary.
    In February, the President appointed the country's first Human Rights
    Ombudsman, amid questions by numerous human rights NGOs and the Council of
    Europe about the ombudsman's independence from the Government. During the
    year, the Human Rights Ombudsman created a public working group focused on
    securing the rights of minority religious groups. Local organizations
    attended the working group meetings.
    However, according to a report released in December, which was sponsored by
    the U.N. Development Program (UNDP), the ombudsman's office suffered from
    internal disorganization and a perceived lack of independence from the
    Government during its first year of operation. The ombudsman acknowledged
    the report's recommendation to improve the office's operations.
    Section 5
    Discrimination, Societal Abuses, and Trafficking in
    Persons
    The Constitution prohibits discrimination based on race, gender, disability,
    language, or social status; however, there was societal discrimination
    against women, ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities.
    Women
    There is no law banning domestic violence against women, and few cases of
    spousal abuse or other violence against women were reported during the year;
    however, such violence was believed to be widespread.
    While there is no recent information on the extent of the problem, a 2001
    survey conducted found that 45 percent of respondents acknowledged that they
    were subjected to psychological abuse, and 25 percent considered themselves
    victims of physical abuse.
    Most cases of domestic violence were not reported to police because victims
    were either afraid of physical harm and feared that police would return them
    to their husbands or were embarrassed to make family problems public.
    Several NGOs in the Yerevan and Gyumri areas and in Martuni provided shelter
    and assistance to battered women; however, it was rare for battered women to
    have psychological or legal counseling.
    Rape and spousal rape are illegal and carries a maximum 15-year prison
    sentence. By year's end, authorities registered 52 cases of rape and
    attempted rape and no deaths in connection with rape. According to the
    Prosecutor General's office, authorities identified and prosecuted 51
    suspects in rape cases.
    Trafficking in women for sexual exploitation was a problem (see Section 5,
    Trafficking). Prostitution and sex tourism is not illegal, but operating
    brothels is prohibited. Operating a brothel or other forms of pimping is
    punishable by 1 to 10 years' imprisonment.
    According to the NGO Hope and Help, there were between 5,000 and 6,000
    prostitutes in the country, and approximately 1,500 of them were registered
    in the capital.
    The law does not specifically prohibit sexual harassment, although articles
    in the criminal code address different aspects of sexual harassment such as
    lewd acts or indecent behavior. Many of these offenses are not clearly
    defined, but punishments range from fines to imprisonment. Some offenses are
    actionable under civil law. However, societal norms did not consider cases
    of sexual harassment worthy of legal action.
    The law provides men and women with equal status; however, gender
    discrimination existed and was a continuing problem in the public and
    private sector.
    For example, although the law states that women should receive equal pay for
    equal work, a recent survey in Yerevan reported that, overall, women earned
    40 percent of what men earn.
    Women generally were not afforded the same professional opportunities as men
    and often were relegated to more menial or low-skill jobs. The law prohibits
    discrimination in employment and hiring because of pregnancy; however, the
    extremely high unemployment rate made it difficult to gauge how effectively
    the law was implemented. More women than men were enrolled in university and
    postgraduate programs, but all doctoral candidates were men.
    Children
    The Government is committed to protecting children's rights and welfare;
    however, it did not have the economic means to fulfill its commitment.
    Education is free, universal, and compulsory through age 14; it is then
    optional through age 16 (complete secondary education). According to a 2003
    U.N. Development Program survey, 84.3 percent of students completed
    schooling through age 14, and 36.7 percent studied through age 16. Girls and
    boys received equal educational opportunities; however, many facilities were
    impoverished and in poor condition. Some teachers were known to demand
    bribes from parents in return for good or passing grades for their children.
    Access to education in rural areas remained poor, and children's work in
    fields during harvest season took precedence over school.
    In the Yezidi community, a high percentage of children did not attend
    school, partly for family economic reasons and partly because schools lacked
    Yezidi teachers and books in their native language.
    Free health care was available for all children through age 8 for treatment
    of some diseases and for emergency care, but care often was of poor quality,
    and the practice of demanding overt or concealed payment of fees for medical
    service continued. Boys and girls had equal access to health care.
    Child abuse was a problem; however, the Prosecutor General's office did not
    report any cases of child abuse during the year.
    Trafficking in girls for the purpose of sexual exploitation was a problem
    (see Section 5, Trafficking).
    Child labor was a problem (see Section 6.d.). However, there was no reliable
    or current reporting on the extent of the problem.
    In 2003, the Ministry of Social Welfare estimated that there were 130
    homeless children in Yerevan. In 2002, a local NGO reported that nationally
    there were approximately 900 homeless children and that the number continued
    to grow. Abuse of street children did not appear to be a serious problem.
    A number of international agencies, such as UNICEF, World Vision, the World
    Bank, and the OSCE, worked with the Government and local groups to upgrade
    and improve schools, integrate children with special needs into schools, and
    to facilitate government efforts against trafficking of children.
    Trafficking in Persons
    The law prohibits trafficking in persons, and offenses committed for
    "mercenary purposes" are crimes according to a law that took effect in
    August 2003; however, trafficking in persons from, through, and to the
    country remained a problem. There were reports that border guards and some
    prosecutors were complicit in trafficking.
    Violations of the law are punishable by fines of up to $12,195 (6.5 million
    drams), correctional labor up to 2 years, or imprisonment for up to 8 years,
    if the crime was committed under aggravated circumstances. In December 2003,
    police arrested two men in connection with trafficking six women into the
    country. On June 28, three of the persons were sentenced to between 2 and 4
    1/2 years' imprisonment.
    On October 4, police detained a man for allegedly trafficking 11 women to
    engage in prostitution in Turkey. The same day, police arrested a woman for
    allegedly recruiting women to be trafficked to the United Arab Emirates.
    Both were charged with pimping, which may carry a lighter penalty than
    trafficking. No one was charged under the trafficking statute during the
    year.
    A governmental Interagency Commission, the National Police, and the National
    Security Service are responsible for coordinating and implementing
    anti-trafficking policy and for combating trafficking. The Government
    actively sought bilateral cooperation with several trafficking destination
    countries and regularly shared information with these partners.
    The authorities reported that the country is a source and transit point for
    women and girls trafficked primarily for sexual exploitation to the United
    Arab Emirates, Turkey, Russia, Uzbekistan, Greece, and other European
    countries. However, there were reports that the country was also a
    destination point for trafficked women for sexual exploitation, particularly
    from Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
    There were no reliable estimates on the number of individuals who were
    trafficked. Trafficking organizations typically recruited victims with the
    promise of high paying work in another country. Once in the country of
    destination, victims were deprived of their travel documents, locked in
    hotel rooms, and told that they must "repay" the cost of their travel. There
    were reports about women who were encouraged to become recruiters for
    trafficking rings with a promise of keeping a percentage of their
    "earnings." Trafficking victims were at greatly increased risk of sexually
    transmitted diseases, and some reported incidents of physical violence.
    Victims reported that some border guards were bribed or worked with the
    traffickers. In 2002, a criminal group of police employees and employees of
    the country's international airport was uncovered. The group allegedly
    assisted traffickers using fraudulent documents to traffic citizens to the
    UAE for sexual exploitation. The officials allegedly received proceeds
    regularly from some traffickers working in the UAE. The Prosecutor General
    opened a criminal investigation into the case. Two police officers and two
    airport officials were convicted for abuse of power in the case. No
    prosecutions were reported during the year.
    The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and a local NGO, Hope and
    Help, with funding from foreign governments, operated an assistance program
    for trafficking victims. The Government did not offer financial assistance,
    but referred victims to these organizations.
    Upon their return, many victims feared societal stigma and discrimination.
    Government officials did not require victims to aid in finding and
    prosecuting traffickers; however, they worked with victims who were willing
    to report their cases.
    NGOs and the Government increased trafficking prevention activities,
    primarily through education and mass media programs to raise public
    awareness. The Government trained its consular corps to identify signs of
    trafficking. The Government also collaborated with police in destination
    countries to apprehend traffickers. Authorities also established a hot line
    to connect victims with police; however, it only worked in certain parts of
    the country.
    Persons with Disabilities
    There was discrimination against persons with disabilities in employment,
    education, access to health care, and in the provision of other state
    services.
    The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs was responsible for protecting the
    rights of persons with disabilities; however, the ministry lacked the
    resources to fulfill this responsibility.
    It focused primarily on legislative remedies, which were seldom enforced.
    For example, the law and a government decree mandated accessibility to
    buildings for persons with disabilities; however, in practice, very few
    buildings and other facilities were accessible to persons with disabilities.
    Institutionalized patients often lacked medication, and care was
    substandard. Hospitals, residential care, and other facilities for persons
    with serious disabilities were substandard.
    National/Racial/Ethnic Minorities
    The population was approximately 98 percent ethnic Armenian. The Government
    did not discriminate against the small, officially recognized "national"
    communities, although the economic and social situation of such groups has
    deteriorated substantially since independence in 1991. National communities
    recognized by the Government included Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians,
    Jews, Kurds, Yezidis, Assyrians, Georgians, Greeks, and Germans. Several
    hundred Azeris or persons of mixed Azeri heritage maintained a low profile
    to avoid possible societal discrimination.
    The Constitution grants national minorities the right to preserve their
    cultural traditions and language, and the law provides linguistic minorities
    with the right to publish and study in their native language. There were
    token publications in minority languages. By law, all children of citizens
    must be educated in Armenian-language schools. Virtually all students,
    including members of the Yezidi and Greek communities, attended
    Armenian-language schools, with very few classes available in their native
    tongues.
    Yezidi leaders continued to complain that police and local authorities
    subjected their community to discrimination. The Yezidis, whose number had
    been estimated at 30,000 to 40,000 by their leaders, speak a Kurdish dialect
    and practice a religion derived from Zoroastrianism, Islam, and animism.
    Yezidi leaders cited numerous incidents of unfair adjudication of land,
    water, and grazing disputes; hazing of Yezidi conscripts in the army; and
    poor police response to serious crimes committed against Yezidis (see
    Sections 1.c. and 2.c.). On occasion, Yezidi children reported hazing by
    teachers and classmates. Members of the Yezidi community had tried
    previously to address their grievances with the Presidential Advisor on
    National Minorities, but they claimed that all their attempts have been
    ignored. According to Yezidi community leaders, appeals on their behalf with
    respect to alleged discrimination were raised at all levels of the
    Government; however, no government responses were forthcoming.
    Other Societal Abuses and Discrimination
    Military officers targeted homosexuals for hazing. The Helsinki Association
    reported cases of police harassment of homosexuals through blackmail,
    extortion, and, on occasion, violence.
    Unofficial reports suggested that during a routine police investigation,
    police threatened to make one homosexual's sexual orientation public. The
    man later alleged that police revealed his homosexuality to his employer,
    and, shortly thereafter, he quit his job.
    Section 6
    Worker Rights
    a. The Right of Association
    The Constitution provides employees with the right to form and join trade
    unions, but employees did not exercise this right in practice. The law
    stipulates that the right to form associations, including political parties
    and trade unions, may be limited for persons serving in the armed services
    and law enforcement agencies. In practice, labor organization remained weak
    because of high unemployment and the weak economy.
    b. The Right to Organize and Bargain Collectively
    Although the law provides for the right to organize and bargain
    collectively, in practice, there was no collective bargaining. Factory
    directors generally set pay scales without consulting employees. Labor
    disputes were arbitrated in regular or economic courts.
    The Constitution provides for the right to strike; however, workers rarely
    exercised this right because workers did not have the financial resources to
    maintain a strike.
    There are no export processing zones.
    c. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor.
    The law prohibits forced and compulsory labor, including by children;
    however, there were reports that such practices occurred (see Section 5,
    Trafficking).
    d. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment
    Under the law, the minimum age of employment is 16; however, in some cases,
    with the permission of the child's parents and labor union, children may
    work from age 14 in non-dangerous situations. The law was unevenly enforced
    by local community councils, unemployment offices, and, as a final board of
    appeal, the courts. Children under the age of 18 are prohibited from working
    overtime or in harmful and dangerous conditions, at night, and on holidays.
    There were reports that children worked in family businesses and on family
    farms, which is not forbidden by law. Children were also observed on the
    streets of Yerevan selling newspapers, flowers and working in local markets.
    According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, some children were
    involved in family businesses, as well as in other business activities, such
    as agriculture, where such activity is not prohibited by law.
    e. Acceptable Conditions of Work
    The Government sets the minimum wage by decree. The monthly minimum wage of
    $24 (13,000 drams) did not provide a decent standard of living for a worker
    and family. Approximately 43 percent of the population lived below the
    poverty line of about $2 (1,000 drams) or less per day. An estimated 15.9
    percent of the population was considered extremely poor, with a daily income
    of less than $1 (500 drams).
    There was a large shadow economy. As much as 40 percent of overall economic
    activity, and in some areas, such as retail, as high as 80 percent, took
    place without being recorded or taxed by local authorities.
    The law defines the workweek as 40 hours and provides for mandatory rest
    periods and overtime compensation. In December, the Government passed
    legislation that would reset the levels of overtime compensation and limits
    on required overtime. The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare oversees
    workers' rights health and safety but took few affirmative steps to enforce
    statutory regulations. National unemployment of 20 percent or more and low
    wages were a problem.
    Workers had the right to remove themselves from dangerous work and
    situations that endangered health and safety; however, in practice, doing so
    would likely jeopardize their future employment, especially those persons
    who worked in the shadow economy.
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