Children Are Adopted for Organ Trafficking, Says Ararat Mirzoyan

The government is proposing to amend the family code. Adopted children will have the right to know the whole truth about their backgrounds once they reach adulthood. This statement was made today at a government meeting by Acting Minister of Justice Artak Zeynalyan.

"Experience shows that adopted individuals want to obtain information about their biological parents. In some cases, even adoptive parents proactively try to contact the biological parents of the adopted child to gather information about them and offer support in these matters. There are instances where adoptive parents leave a note at the social protection institution in the child's area of residence regarding the adoption, providing their contact information," said the minister.

If the proposed amendment is passed, individuals who reach the age of 18 will be able to submit an application to the relevant authorities and receive documents confirming their adoption. This documentation will include their name, surname, date of birth, place of birth, as well as personal information about their biological parents, such as ethnicity, blood type, and health conditions.

During the meeting, while discussing the fate of adopted children, First Deputy Prime Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated that instances of adoptions aimed at selling children’s organs have been recorded.

"We are dealing with a mafia here, Mr. Prime Minister. And during my few months of activity, I have persistently tried to unravel this knot and have continually had the feeling that something is not right. Everything is close to being revealed, yet I have not been able to record any tangible results. Moreover, the amounts we are talking about start from maternity hospitals and continue in other institutions; this is just the tip of the iceberg. We are dealing with a much more painful reality, particularly the trafficking of children's organs, including those adopted abroad. We are also speaking with the Minister of Justice to verify this. Documentation up to this point is sufficient and satisfactory; no negative incidents have been uncovered so far," Mirzoyan stated.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan asked for clarification on what was being discussed. Mirzoyan explained that sometimes fictitious or non-fictitious individuals adopt children from various countries who do not have parents, and later these children may be deprived of one of their kidneys or other organs. This is a global issue, and Armenia is not the only country facing it, Mirzoyan added.

"Has such a case been recorded?" Pashinyan inquired.

"That’s what I want to formulate—that there are persistent rumors about such occurrences," Mirzoyan replied.

Pashinyan reacted, saying, "Well, those are sensitive topics, excuse me, my pressure has gone up a bit during this period."

The Director of the National Security Service, Arthur Vanetsyan, intervened in the discussion. He stated that they have never received any information regarding the cases mentioned by Mirzoyan. He emphasized that the process is constantly under their supervision.