The Armenian government has proposed criminal liability for using the services of children engaged in prostitution, seeking to address a gap in legal protections for minors.
Deputy Interior Minister Armen Mkrtchyan presented the initiative on November 12 at a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs, Armenpress reports.
Mkrtchyan said the measure was particularly important for protecting children aged 16 and 17, emphasizing that reaching the age of sexual consent does not remove the state’s responsibility to protect minors from harmful activities.
“The fact that a child aged 16 or older has sexual autonomy does not mean they can engage in activities that pose a danger to them, such as prostitution, because prostitution harms a child’s morality, health and full development. The draft proposes establishing criminal liability for using the services of a child engaged in prostitution,” he said.
According to the deputy minister, the proposed liability cannot be considered unjustified interference in private life, as such conduct harms both the child and public morality and social relations.
The amendments also address cases involving children aged 12 to 16. Mkrtchyan said the National Assembly’s Expert and Analytical Department had recommended including stricter liability for such acts under Article 200 of the Criminal Code, a proposal the government accepted.
He explained that Article 200 already establishes criminal liability for sexual intercourse or other sexual acts with a person under 16. Accordingly, offenses involving children aged 12 to 16 should be covered by that provision, which primarily protects children’s sexual inviolability.
“The primary protected interest in this offense is the child’s sexual inviolability, rather than the protection of public order and morality, which constitutes an additional protected interest in this case,” Mkrtchyan noted.
