“Armenia is a very safe country, Yerevan is a safe place” I usually tell foreign friends and colleagues visiting Armenia and leave them free to explore it as much as they like, they are all grown ups, after all.
Latest crime figures released by Armenia’s Police for the first 9 months of this year will certainly make me think twice before I let my foreign guests walk free of my company from now on.
Police have registered 79 cases of criminal offences committed by local Armenians against foreigners who were in Armenia at the time this year so far. Meanwhile, foreigners are not behaving particularly well in Armenia either. 71 cases of criminal activities or serious violations of laws were committed by foreigners in Armenia.
I haven’t been able to find data from past years to compare with this year’s figures. Still, police officials have noted on several occasions, that crime levels have been rising, which, I suppose, means a deteriorating safety situation overall.
The police are blaming it on social pressures, economic crisis, unemployment. Whatever the reasons, I guess they’d better stop looking for excuses and do more to stop crime, especially against foreigners, tourists. This situation can prove utterly destructive for the fragile tourism industry that this country is hoping to cultivate…
6 responses so far ↓
Richard // November 2, 2009 at 4:18 pm |
Or maybe reporting of crime is getting better.
andrearzoo // November 2, 2009 at 9:56 pm |
I’m with Richard on this one.
In fact, Armenian police crackdown hard on anyone who harasses foreigners/tourists. That’s one thing that the State makes sure of.
Also, I remember a report stating that both crime and corruption have increased in numbers, but only due to an increase in actual reporting.
By the way, I don’t think this type of reporting gives Armenia a proper image. I mean, I understand the importance in reporting on such issues, this however, is a touchy one. As you stated, “the fragile tourism industry,” this only helps facilitate its further damage. Armenia itself is barely supporting and developing this industry, it’s bad enough that we chip away at its image as well.
Don’t get me wrong though, I see the obligation to report. This is just my opinion as an Armenian concerned about this specific issue when presenting it to the outside world, i.e. potential travelers… especially if it’s somewhat misleading information.
On the other hand, Yerevan is considered the safest capital in the South Caucasus (I’m assuming Stepanakert was not included during this analysis).
nazarian // November 3, 2009 at 1:46 am |
Bad things happen everywhere. 79 cases is not much and does not make Armenia an unsafe place. Plus, we don’t know how many of these 79 cases were against tourists, the types of the crimes, the outcomes, etc.
Onnik Krikorian // November 3, 2009 at 2:38 pm |
I’m not agreeing with Richard on this one, especially as I was attacked and mugged about two months ago. In 11 years of living here I had always considered it safe (well, save for election time ;) ) and would think nothing of walking alone late at night. Now I have had to reconsider that. So, it’s not better reporting at all. Crime is increasing.
Then again, as Nazarian says, bad things happen everywhere. Crime is to be expected, and one supposes the only places where it’s not so open is in massively police-controlled states, so, I’d guess there’s going to be plenty more crime coming. It was never normal to consider Armenia “safe.” In fact, it was an artificial situation and one that too many people — including myself — became complacent about.
Now it’s time for us all to wake up and smell the coffee. Incidentally, I didn’t report the attack as I wouldn’t expect much apart from a headache from the police I did and certainly not my wallet back. Meanwhile, this also means my case won’t be in the next statistics so let’s look at it another way.
Rather than better reporting, a lack of confidence in the police might also mean under-reporting.
Observer // November 3, 2009 at 4:30 pm |
Sorry to hear that, Onnik. And yes, counter to what Richard says – I don’t think reporting has become much better. I think it’s about the same always.
As to what Andrearzoo Says – hinting,that I shouldn’t be publicizing such facts, I have to disagree. It’s better to have informed foreigners, who take precautions and thus, at least, help to reduce the number of criminal offenses against them. Moreover, I’d rather have fewer tourists, than many – going back home with lots of horror stories.
After all – it’s not my fault that crime is increasing in this country in the recent years. I, for my part, am a law-obedient, tax-paying citizen, and I hope my children will be the same, because that’s what I teach them by my example and words.
Onnik Krikorian // November 3, 2009 at 10:09 pm |
Oh yeah, and when I ran into one guy from the Diaspora a few days after the attack his response was “You too?”
Basically, quite a few of his friends had also been attacked. Anyway, I have to say it could have been a lot worse.
I only lost a wallet thankfully with just 5,000 AMD in as well as one of my fingernails.