ArmInfo. In connection with the alleged cases of illegal adoption of children in Armenia, as well as illegal separation of children from their parents after childbirth, 14 criminal cases were opened in the Prosecutor General's Office from 2019 to 2020.
According to the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office, in connection with the facts presented about the adoption of children carried out with gross violations of the law of Armenia, as well as about the alleged sale of about a dozen children in the National Security Service of Armenia, criminal cases were opened by 168 (Child trafficking), 169 (disclosure of adoption secrets (adoptions)), 200 (Commercial bribe), 214 (Abuse of authority by employees of commercial or other organizations), 308 (Abuse of authority) Articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia. A preliminary investigation into these cases was entrusted to the Investigative Committee.
To clarify all the circumstances of the case, large-scale investigative-search actions were carried out. During the preliminary investigation, the parents and relatives of more than two dozen children who were adopted and taken abroad were questioned. Most of them said that they renounced their parental rights after fraud, threats or blackmail by employees of medical centers. These children were adopted by citizens of other republics.
During the preliminary investigation, about 200 applications were received from the biological mothers of these children. Most of these statements were attached to the case file.
Moreover, in the NSS of Armenia new cases of illegal separation of a child from parents and cases of illegal sale of children were revealed. Two more criminal cases were opened. One criminal case was opened in the Investigative Committee of Armenia, and three more criminal cases were opened by the Police.
The Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia also received 3 statements on cases of unlawful separation of parents from their children from the IC of Armenia, and another 6 statements were published by the media about these cases. In 4 cases, a criminal case was opened. The Prosecutor General's Office sent a further 28 applications to the police, criminal cases were opened on the basis of 2 cases, another 18 applications were sent to the IC. A preliminary investigation is underway in 6 cases.
In one of the criminal cases of alleged abuses, 5 citizens were charged. In these cases, an investigation is underway, and expert examinations are also scheduled.