Ignorance or purposely? Both options are unacceptable

An unscheduled session of working group of RA Council for fighting with human trafficking took place on the 7th of April.

The main issue on the agenda was to discuss and to draft a conclusion to the “Assistance of trafficked persons” RA bill, which was put in the circulation in the National Assembly by a parliamentary faction.

Above mentioned bill on “Human trafficking victims and exploitationed persons identification and support” is in fact a reduplication of some parts of RA new draft law on “Human trafficking victims and exploitationed persons identification and support” initiated in the frames of the working group and being circulated in R.A. government already for a year.

Head of the working group Vahram Kazhoyan, presented the situation noting that there is a strong need in discussion and providing a feedback to the for parliamentary faction’s developed bill.
In particular it was expressed a view by him, that there was an impression that “RULE OF LAW” absolutely didn’t explore the sphere of combating human trafficking and was not familiar with existing programs.

Turns out “RULE OF LAW” elaborated a project, which had already been developed, passed a variety of expertise, approved by Armenian Government and would be soon presented to the National Assembly.

The discussion was followed by the speech of RA police 3-rd department chief colonel Tigran Petrosyan-author of the draft law.He particularly noted that given situation was more ridiculous, since the discussed bill presented by the ”RULE OF LAW” partly looked likean old version of already his developed draft law.

During the hot discussions all members of the working group criticized parliamentary faction behavior and offering rejection of the bill’s further discussions.
As a conclusion of the session it was decided to draw up a protocol to present it to the Council for fighting with human trafficking.

Quote from the decision:
“The decision: During the session all present members of the working group’s unanimously decided to consider not purposeful the parliamentary faction’s bill on “Human trafficking victims and exploitationed persons identification and support” submitted on basis of an Initiative, taking into account that it almost fully duplicates text of already exiting “Human trafficking victims and exploitationed persons identification and support” RA draft law.

The latter has been developed by the RA Police, following to the recommendation task notice of RA Deputy Prime Minister, RA Minister of Territorial Administration Armen Gevorgyan number 01/14/47203-132 as of 2.06.2013 .

During the draft law development by the RA Police opinions of working group members, egovernment agencies, non-governmental organizations wwere taken into account, which were also discussed for several times during working group meetings and working sessions. “Human trafficking victims and exploitated persons identification and support” draft law was also discussed with expert of Council of Europe GRETA.

Moreover “Human trafficking victims and exploitated persons identification and support” draft law was approved by RA Government Social Committee”.

Once again referring to to the aim of designing the draft law on “Human trafficking victims and exploitated persons identification and support”, developed by RA Police, , it shall benoted that it may be sourced In the section of the “news” of www.antitrafficking.am website.