Charges Filed Against 43-Year-Old Woman for Attempting to Acquire Children

The Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia is actively conducting investigations into cases of illegal adoption and the trafficking of children, with a particular focus on ensuring the protection of minors' rights and combating the illegal circulation of narcotics.

One individual has been charged with attempting to acquire two children for guardianship purposes.

Previously, it was reported that on November 18, 2019, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case concerning the breach of adoption confidentiality, coercion into giving adoption consent, selling a child to be handed over to guardianship, bribery, and the abuse of officials’ authority by employees of various organizations.

According to the data obtained during the investigation, several employees of medical centers and state institutions in Armenia intentionally persuaded over ten pregnant women between 2016 and 2018 to give up their children for adoption for profit.

As a result of urgent investigative actions, the identity of one individual involved in the attempted illegal adoption and trafficking of children has been established. This person is a resident of Yerevan, born in 1976.

The evidence indicates that the 43-year-old woman, taking advantage of the ignorance of individuals wishing to adopt, negotiated in 2018-2019 with foreign and local citizens, for respective amounts of €20,000 and $5,000, to facilitate the adoption of healthy children from Armenia's orphanages.

Using her personal connections, she attempted to prioritize some individuals registered as adoptive parents in the adoption process while simultaneously aiming to conduct the actual acquisition of the children for agreed amounts. However, she was unable to fulfill her intentions due to circumstances beyond her control.

Based on sufficient evidence, charges have been filed against the 43-year-old woman under part 2, point 2 of Article 34-168 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia. The investigator has submitted a request to the court for pre-trial detention as a preventive measure.
The court has accepted the request while also considering the use of bail as an alternative preventive measure.

The pre-trial investigation continues, with necessary investigative and operational measures being undertaken to identify all related medical establishments, responsible state institutions, and victims involved in the illegal adoption process.