US STATE DEPARTMENT: CORRUPTION REMAINS SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM IN POLICE AND SECURITY SERVICE OF ARMENIA
Arminfo
2007-03-07 15:10:00
"Corruption remains a significant problem in the police force and
security service of Armenia", it is said in the report of the US
State Department with human rights in Armenia in 2006.
As the State Department’s site reports, the police officers
routinely stopped motorists at roadside checkpoints to extort illegal
"fees." Motorists reported that traffic police generally demanded
approximately $2.80 (1000 drams) to pass a checkpoint. Investigative
journalists alleged that police inspectors and superiors received
a portion of the proceeds from each traffic stop. As a result,
there were no incentives to curb the practice and no efforts by the
government during the year to do so.
There was no dedicated mechanism for investigating police abuse. By law
citizens may sue police in court as they would sue any person against
whom they had an adjudicable complaint. The government reported that
during the year citizens lodged 69 civil complaints against police
in court. Judges decided 26 of those cases in favor of the citizens
and dismissed the remaining 43.