Many more cases of sex abuse have been recorded in Armenia over recent years, Hayk Harutyunyan of the Judicial Department of Armenia told journalists February 2. He pointed out that 112 sex abuse cases were registered in the country 2000 to 2010, with 101 of them being child abuse cases.

According to him, the more sex abuse cases are registered in Armenia the more lenient sentences are passed on the criminals. "The abusers are often amnestied. Often they do not even pay U.S. $277 penalties. However, a potential abuser must know that he will be sentenced for a much longer term than one or two years," Harutyunyan said.