According to 2008 Human Rights Report on Armenia, released by the US State Department on February 25, the government's human rights record deteriorated significantly during the year, with authorities and their agents committing numerous human rights abuses, particularly in connection with the presidential elections and the government's suppression of demonstrations that followed. Furthermore, corruption was widespread on all levels and in all sectors, and government programs to curb corruption were largely inactive.

The public rarely protested corrupt practices, such as routine bribe-paying, and appeared to be aware of the problem's prevalence. The law provides criminal penalties for official corruption; however, the government did not implement the law effectively, and officials frequently engaged in corrupt practices with impunity.

In line with official statistics, authorities investigated 173 corruption cases during the first 11 months of the year, of which 57 cases against 75 persons (including 57 officials) were sent to the courts. The Special Investigative Service investigated 34 officials under corruption charges, the majority of whom worked in the police forces or the Ministry of Justice. Most of these officials were section heads or low-level officials.

For full information on 2008 Human Rights Report: Armenia please visit US Department of State website at http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/eur/119066.htm