Girls Recruited in Russia to Dance in Yerevan Strip Clubs

The Kentron and Nork Marash Administrative Court has been hearing the case of Yelena Kalyakinyan and her 27 year-old daughter Vera, residents of the Russian city of Volgograd, for the past year.

The mother and daughter have been charges with trafficking 24 Russian women Yerevan to work in various night clubs against their will as striptease dancers and for appropriating their wages. »»»»»

In its Tenth Annual Trafficking in Persons Report, the U.S. State Department list Armenia as a source country for women subjected to trafficking in persons, specificalyy forced prostitution, and a source and destination country for women in forced labor.

In part the Armenia country profile reads:

Armenia is a source country for women subjected to trafficking in persons, specifically forced prostitution, a source and destination country for women in forced labor, and a source country for men in forced labor. »»»»»

Moushegh Kroyan, Assistant Chief of the RoA Police Department’s Public Affairs and Press Division sent the following statement to “Hetq”:

“The corresponding units of the RoA Police Department’s Organized Crime Division that deals with issues of human trafficking has already sent inquiries out to various locations to verify reports that have appeared in the press. If the press reports turn out to be factual then appropriate measures will naturally be taken.”

Last week, the “Aravot” newspaper wrote that RoA citizen Astghik Danielyan has been the subject of trafficking in the family of Ambassador Raul de Lutsenberger, who heads the European Commission delegation to Armenia. »»»»»

On September 3, 2008, Laura Azaryan was able to cross the Armenian border at Bagratashen and make her way to Batumi.

Her Turkish husband Oumit was waiting for her there and for the “cargo” she was bringing – Lilit, born in 1979, and her 8 year-old daughter. About ten day before, however, the police had been informed that Armenian girls brought to Turkey by Laura had been subject to trafficking.

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Laura Azaryan left for Turkey alone in 2001. There she married a Turkish man Oumit Ramazan Poujlu. In 2008, she telephoned her brother, Gagik Karapetyan and told him that they owned a casino in Turkey. She made a proposal to her brother; that he locate young, attractive girls in Armenia and send them to the casino to “wait on tables”.

Gagik, comprehending what his sister and her husband had in mind, the nefarious exploitation of the girls once they arrived, nevertheless gave his verbal consent to the plan. »»»»»

On June 19, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a 2009 report dealing with human traffiking. The report, studying anti-trafficking measures in 175 nations, covers the period from April, 2008 till March, 2009. The report notes that while Armenia has displayed progress in its anti-trafficking campaign much more needs to be done. Below, is that portion of the report dealing with Armenia.

Armenia is primarily a source country for women and girls trafficked to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Turkey for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation. Armenian men and women are trafficked to Russia for the purpose of forced labor. NGOs reported that Armenian women were also trafficked to Turkey for the purpose of forced labor. »»»»»

“No, Gagik didn’t dangle me from their seventh story window to throw me down. The window was merely open and he stood me in front. I can’t say why. It was a good day. I gave him the money. Maybe he was angry or something.” This is what 13 year-old Abgar recounts. He attends the Vardashen #1 boarding school. He’s been working as a beggar in the service of 34 year-old Garik Hovhannisyan for quite some time. »»»»»

On April 20, Anoush Martirosyan, the infamous “Madame Pimp” of Dubai, was sentenced to thirteen years at the Kentron and Nork-Marsh Court of First Instance, Judge Yeva Darbinyan presiding. »»»»»

The court case of Anoush Martirosyan, the infamous Madam Pimp known for her prostitution activities in Dubai and Armenia, has been transferred to the Kentron and Nork-Marash Court of First Instance, due to the dissolution of the Yerevan Criminal Court. Readers will remember from past articles that Anoush is being tried along with her two sisters, Sofya Martirosyan and Sonya Gabrielyan, and another cohort, Mariam Martikyan. (See:  Madame Anoush, “Infamous Pimp of Dubai”, Takes the Witness Stand) »»»»»

On February 17, Anoush Martirosyan, the infamous “Madame Pimp” of Dubai and her sister Sofya Martirosyan, were cross-examined in their ongoing trial at Yerevan’s criminal court. During the session Prosecutor Artur Davtyan had to caution their defense lawyers on a few occasions. »»»»»

Four women, three of whom are sisters, appeared before the Yerevan Criminal Court, all charged with the same crime. The main heroine of this criminal trial, presided over by Judge Yeva Darbinyan, is Anoush Martirosyan, the infamous “Madame-pimp” of Dubai. »»»»»