Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Armenia (Ratification: 2004)

The Committee notes the observations of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia (CTUA) communicated with the Government’s report.

Articles 1(1), 2(1) and 25 of the Convention. 1. Prohibition of forced labour. Legislative developments. The Committee takes due note the Government’s indication, in its report, that the Labour Code was amended by Law HO-360-N of 5 October 2022 which introduced a new section 3.2 that explicitly defines and prohibits “compulsory or forced labour”. The Government adds that: (1) section 41 of the Code on Administrative Offences establishes an administrative penalty for violating the requirements of the Labour Code; and (2) Guidelines on "Indicators of Compulsory or Forced Labour in the Republic of Armenia" have been adopted by the Head of the Inspection Body (Order No. 06-L of 17 December 2021). In 2022, 50 inspectors from the Labour Law Control Department and regional centres of the Health and Labour Inspection Body (HLIB) received training on the application of these indicators.

The Committee notes that, in its observations, the CTUA refers to a recent survey on working conditions of food delivery workers which highlighted their vulnerability and limited legal protection in the current employment landscape. According to the survey, 14.2 per cent of the respondents had heard of or encountered individuals working in Armenia under threat, coercion or fear, suggesting possible forced labour. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the number and nature of cases of compulsory or forced labour identified by the labour inspectors and other competent authorities, including in the food delivery sector. Recalling that under Article 25 of the Convention, the imposition of forced labour shall be punishable with penal sanctions that are adequate and dissuasive, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the prosecutions and sentences handed down in relation to such cases with an indication of the nature of the sanctions imposed.

2. Vulnerable situation of migrant workers. The Committee notes that the CTUA expresses concerns regarding the situation of Indian and Iranian workers who are vulnerable to trafficking in persons, in particular as a result of abuses made by private employment agencies as: (1) no control mechanism is established under the national legislation to monitor the activities these agencies; and (2) private employment agencies are allowed to collect recruitment fees from workers. In that regard, the Committee refers to its 2024 observation made on the application of the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), in which it requested the Government to establish control mechanisms under the national legislation to monitor the activities of private employment agencies. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken to: (i) prevent and protect migrant workers from practices that could amount to forced labour, including by establishing control mechanisms to monitor the activities of private employment agencies; and (ii) raise awareness of migrant workers regarding labour rights and available complaint mechanisms and protection.

3. Trafficking in persons. (i) National action plan. The Committee takes note of the adoption of the seventh National Action Plan for the Organization of Action against Trafficking in Persons and Exploitation for 2023–2025 (Government Decision No. 31-L of 5 January 2023) which set five specific priorities: improvement of the legislation; prevention of trafficking in persons or exploitation; (3) detection, protection and support of victims; international cooperation; and research, monitoring and evaluation. The Committee welcomes the detailed information provided by the Government on the measures implemented to prevent trafficking in persons, in particular awareness-raising campaigns and training activities held among students, vulnerable groups from rural communities and groups of forcibly displaced Armenians from Artsakh. Furthermore, an online platform with relevant information on trafficking in persons is available as well as a 24-hour hotline for issues related to trafficking in persons and exploitation. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to ensure the effective implementation of the seventh National Action Plan for the Organization of Action against Trafficking in Persons and Exploitation for 2023–2025, including any assessment made in that regard, indicating the results achieved, the challenges identified and the measures envisaged to address them.

(ii) Identification and protection of victims. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that several reforms have been implemented to improve the identification and protection of victims of trafficking in persons, in particular through: (1) Government Resolution No. 1534, of 10 June 2022, which approves the indicators for identifying a person as a victim or special victim by the Commission on the Identification of Victims of Trafficking in Persons and Exploitation; and (2) Government Decision No. 1538-N, of 10 June 2022, which establishes minimum quality standards for the provision of accommodation, material aid, psychological, counselling, and legal support to victims of human trafficking and exploitation, as well as special victims, including in relevant institutions. The Government adds that guidelines were developed for labour inspectors, migration services and front-line workers to help them better identify potential victims as well as guidelines on trauma awareness and victim-centred approaches when working with victims for judges, prosecutors, investigators and police officers. The Committee further notes that, in 2023, a trilingual manual (Armenian, English, Russian) was developed to offer information on all forms of assistance available to victims and potential victims of trafficking and exploitation. The Committee notes, from the Government’s report, that, between 2021 and 2023, a total of 62 victims of trafficking in persons were identified and received support. The Committee welcomes the measures taken to continue to ensure early identification of victims of trafficking and provide them with information and protection. It requests the Government to continue providing information in this regard.

(iii) Prosecution and application of penal sanctions. The Committee notes that sections 188 and 189 of the new Criminal Code define and criminalize trafficking in persons, and section 190 defines and criminalizes the use of the service of a person in a state of exploitation, providing for the same penalties of imprisonment than the previous Criminal Code. It notes the Government’s indication that a Directive was issued to instruct the territorial divisions of the Police Department to identify high-risk locations that could serve as hotspots for trafficking in persons (e.g., livestock farms, areas suitable for begging, guest houses, restaurants). These locations are to be regularly visited, and unannounced inspections are to be conducted to identify both registered and possibly unregistered employees, as well as beggars. In this regard, the Committee notes that the CTUA highlights that the Health and Labour Inspection Body lacks legal authority to inspect informal employers, such as unregistered businesses or small farms.

As regards the number of prosecutions, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that, from 2021 to 2023, 51 cases of trafficking in persons were initiated, out of which 34 cases referred to labour exploitation. Regarding these 34 criminal cases, 3 cases were sent to court, 6 were dismissed due to acquittal and 4 remained under preliminary investigation. The Government adds that, as of 31 December 2023, there were seven criminal cases of trafficking in persons for labour exploitation being heard in courts. Two convictions for trafficking in persons for labour exploitation were issued in 2022, as well as two convictions in 2023. The Committee observes in this regard that in three of these four cases, traffickers were only sentenced to probation. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to strengthen the capacities of the law enforcement authorities, and more particularly of the Health and Labour Inspection Body, to ensure the early identification of cases of trafficking in persons and exploitation, both in the formal and informal sectors, and that investigations and prosecutions are carried out. It further requests the Government to continue to provide information on the number of investigations, prosecutions and convictions handed down under sections 188 to 190 of the Criminal Code, with an indication of the nature of the sanctions imposed.