Armenian farmer arrested for turning married couple into modern-day slaves

Authorities in Armenia’s Kotayk Province have arrested a local farmer accused of enslaving a married couple, forcing them into labour under brutal conditions in what officials describe as a clear-cut case of human trafficking.

According to a statement by Armenia’s Investigative Committee, the farmer exploited the couple by making them work for months without proper pay and subjected them to routine abuse, Caliber.Az reports via Armenian media.

One of the victims, unable to endure the beatings any longer, eventually managed to flee and alert authorities.

Investigators revealed that over a span of four months, the couple received only 5,000 Armenian drams — roughly $12 — despite being promised regular wages. The farmer reportedly beat both spouses with blunt objects and used their vulnerable situation to keep them under his control.

Criminal charges have been filed under Armenia’s laws on trafficking and the exploitation of individuals in a helpless state.

This disturbing case comes amid a sharp rise in trafficking crimes across Armenia. Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan recently told parliament that such offences surged by nearly 90 per cent in 2024 compared to the previous year — a sign that the problem is deepening in the country.

By Tamilla Hasanova