43-Year-Old Woman Arrested on Suspicion of Attempting to Organize Child Abduction for Adoption Purposes

Investigations are underway at the Human Trafficking and Crimes against the Sexual Integrity of Minors Department of the RA Investigative Committee to clarify all circumstances surrounding illegal adoptions by foreigners.

One individual has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to organize the abduction of a child for the purpose of adoption.

On November 18, 2019, the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia initiated a criminal case regarding cases of disclosing adoption secrets, coercing to consent to adoption, selling children for the purposes of adoption or handing them over to guardians, providing commercial bribes, and abuse of power by officials of commercial or other organizations.

According to preliminary data, several employees of a medical center operating in Armenia and state institutions, during the years 2016-2018, deliberately and for selfish motives, persuaded 12 pregnant women to abandon their children for the purpose of adoption and to consent to adoption against their will.

As a result of urgent and extensive investigative and procedural actions undertaken during the preliminary investigation, a resident of Yerevan, born in 1976, has been arrested on suspicion of committing a crime under the second part of point 2 of article 34-38-168 of the RA Criminal Code, which concerns the attempt to organize child abduction for adoption purposes.

The preliminary investigation is ongoing. Necessary investigative and operational measures are being taken to identify all employees of the medical institutions involved in the illegal adoption process, responsible personnel of state institutions, as well as the complete circle of victims.