“Since the case is being investigated by law enforcement, we cannot respond to any publication whatsoever, nor can we make any comments because it may impede the judicial process. We have said many times that this will be a process that leads to many discoveries, but we will not comment on anything in this stage so that we will not disturb further discoveries,” Press Secretary of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs Sona Martirosyan told Aravot Daily regarding the National Security Service’s discovery of illegal adoptions.
According to a publication made by the NSS, workers at a maternity ward coerced women into putting their children up for adoption. More than ten women had opted for abortions at these clinics between 2016 and 2018, but these workers convinced the women to give birth and then give their children up for adoption. There were several cases in which the workers lied about the condition of the child, provided the mothers with false information, and threatened them if they did not give consent for adoption. The medical personnel even charged some of the women for the medical services rendered as a form of bribery.
Sona Martirosyan said that the ministry does not currently have data on how many children were adopted by Italians between 2016 and 2018, but there is data on how many children were adopted by foreigners during that time period.
In 2016, 30 foreigners adopted children from the Children’s Home of Yerevan, 5 foreigners adopted children from the Children’s Home of Gyumri, 2 from the Missionaries of Charity in Armenia, and 2 from the Mary Ismirlyan orphanage. In 2017, 1 foreigner adopted a child from the Children’s Home of Gyumri, 3 from the Missionaries of Charity in Armenia, and 2 from the Our Lady of Armenia center. In 2018, there were 17 foreign adoptions from the Children’s Home of Yerevan, 2 from the Children’s Home of Gyumri, 2 from the Mary Ismirlyan orphanage, and 1 adoption each from the Missionaries of Charity in Armenia, the Our Lady of Armenia center, and from the Gavar orphanage, all by foreigners.
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