Article 32
Everyone shall have the right of choice of employment.
Each employee shall have the right to fair remuneration in the amount no less than the minimum set by law, as well as the right to working conditions in full compliance with safety and hygiene requirements.
Employees shall have the right to strike for the protection of their economic, social and employment interests, the procedure for and limitations thereon shall be prescribed by law.
The children under the age of 16 shall not be allowed to work full time. The procedure and conditions for their hiring to a part-time job shall be defined by law.
Compulsory labor shall be prohibited.
Constitution of the Republic of Armenia (PDF)
Article 131. Kidnapping.
1. The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons by means of the threat or use of force, of kidnapping, of fraud, of other deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or bribing to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of prostitution or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of human organs, is punished with imprisonment for the term of 2 to 5 years.
2. The same action committed:
1) by a group of persons with prior agreement;
2) by using violence dangerous for life or health or threat of using violence;
3) by using weapons or items used as weapons;
4) against a minor;
5) against a pregnant woman;
6) against two or more persons;
7) with mercenary motives,
8) by a person previously convicted for kidnapping, is punished with imprisonment for the term of 4 to 8 years.
3. The act envisaged in part 1 or 2 of this Article, if:
1) it was done by an organized group;
2) by negligence the death of the aggrieved was caused or other grave consequences, or grave damage was inflicted to his health, is punished with imprisonment for the term of 7 to 10 years.
Article 132. Trafficking
1. Recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor, by means of the threat or use of force, of fraud, of using the dependence, of blackmail, of threat of destruction or damage to property, if this was done for mercenary purposes, is punished with a fine in the amount of 300 to 500 minimal salaries, or correctional labor for up to 1 year, or arrest for up to 2 months, or imprisonment for the term of 1 to 4 years.
2. The same act committed:
1) by a group of persons with prior agreement;
2) with violence dangerous for life or health, or threat thereof;
3) against a minor;
4) against 2 or more persons; is punished with correctional labour for up to 2 years, or imprisonment for up to 4 to 7 years.
3.Actions envisaged in parts 1 or 2 of this Article, which:
1) were done by an organized group;
2) caused the death of the aggrieved by negligence or other grave consequences, is punished with imprisonment for 5 to 8 years.
Article 133. Illegal deprivation of freedom.
1.Illegal deprivation of freedom not concerned with kidnapping is punished with correctional labor for up to 2 years, or with arrest for the term of 1 to 3 months, or with imprisonment for up to 2 years.
2. The same act committed:
1) by a group with prior agreement;
2) using dangerous violence or threat of using violence;
3) by using weapons or items used as weapons;
4) against a minor;
5) against a pregnant woman;
6) against two or more persons;
7) with mercenary motives, is punished with imprisonment for 3 to 5 years.
3.Actions envisaged in parts 1 and 2 of this Article, if:
1) done by an organized group;
2) the death of the aggrieved was caused by negligence or other grave consequences,
is punished with imprisonment for 4 to 8 years.
Article 392. Crimes against human security.
Deportation, illegal arrest, enslavement, mass and regular execution without trial, kidnapping followed by disappearance, torture or cruel treatment of civilians, due to racial, national, ethnic identity, political views and religion, is punished with imprisonment for 7-15 years or for life.
Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia (PDF)
Article 3. Principles of Labor Legislation
1. The main principles of the labor legislation are:
1) freedom of employment, including the right to employment, which should be freely selected or agreed upon by each person; the right to administer the labor capacities, choose the profession and type of activity;
2) prohibition of any type of compulsory work and violence with respect to employees;
3) Legal equality of parties of labor relations irrespective of their gender, race, nation, language, origin, citizenship, social status, religion, marital and family status, age, philosophy, political party, trade union or public organization membership, other factors unrelated to the employee’s professional qualities;
4) provision the right to fair working conditions for each employee, including working conditions meeting safety and healthy working conditions;
5) equality of the rights and opportunities of the workers;
6) provision of the timely and complete remuneration of the employees at the rate not lower than the minimal salary stipulated by the law
7) provision of the right to freely make union for the protection of the rights and interests of the employees and employers, including the rights to create trade and employers unions or join them;
8) stability of labor relationships
9) freedom of collective negotiations;
10) responsibility of the parties to the collective contract for their obligations.
2. The State shall ensure the implementation of the labor law rights in accordance with the provisions of this Code and other laws. Labor rights may be restricted only by law, if such restrictions are
necessary for public security, public order, public health and morals, rights and interests of the others, honor and good reputation.
Article 9. International Treaties
Where international treaties of the Republic of Armenia establish norms other than envisaged by this Code rules of treaties are applied.
Article 179. Minimum Wage
1. The law shall determine the minimum monthly wage and minimum hourly pay. The law may establish other rates of the minimum monthly wage (hourly pay) for certain branches of economy, regions or categories of employees.
The additional, supplementary pays, bonuses and other encouraging pays shall not be included in the minimum wage.
2. Collective contracts may establish higher rates of the minimum wage than those specified in section 1 of this Article.
3. The hourly pay or the monthly wage of an employee may not be less than the minimum rates referred to in section 1 and 2 of this Article.
