country profile...country profile eastern europe and central asia 2 table of contents − armenia...

2020

GLOBAL REPORT ON TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

COUNTRY PROFILE Eastern Europe

and Central Asia

2

Table of Contents

− Armenia − ................................................................................................................................................... 3

– Azerbaijan – ................................................................................................................................................ 5

− Belarus – ..................................................................................................................................................... 7

− Georgia − .................................................................................................................................................. 10

− Kazakhstan − ............................................................................................................................................. 12

− Kyrgyzstan − ............................................................................................................................................. 14

− Tajikistan − ................................................................................................................................................ 16

− The Republic of Moldova − ....................................................................................................................... 19

− Turkmenistan − ......................................................................................................................................... 23

− Ukraine − .................................................................................................................................................. 26

− Uzbekistan − ............................................................................................................................................. 29

3

− Armenia − The current legislation on trafficking in persons in Armenia covers all forms of trafficking indicated in the UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol. Investigations and suspects

Number of cases of trafficking in persons recorded, 2015 – 2018

Source: Investigative Committee, Police of the Republic of Armenia and the Government of Armenia.

In 2017, one Armenian female offender was convicted of trafficking in persons. In 2016, three persons, two females and one male, were convicted of trafficking in persons. Two of them were nationals of the People’s Republic of China and one was of Armenian nationality. In 2015, three persons, two females and one male, were convicted of trafficking in persons. Among them, two were convicted of trafficking in persons for the purpose of forced labour and one was convicted of trafficking in persons for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

Source: The Government of Armenia.

3

2 2

9

2015 2016 2017 2018

4

Victims

Number of victims of trafficking in persons detected, by sex, 2015 – 2018

Source: Investigative Committee, Police of the Republic of Armenia.

Number of victims of trafficking in persons detected, by form of exploitation, 2015 – 2018


During 2017 and 2018, most detected victims were citizens of Armenia with a slightly smaller number from the Russian Federation. During the same years, most Armenian citizens were domestically trafficked. A small number of Armenian victims were repatriated from other countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia or the Middle East.


2015 2016 2017 2018

Females 12 4 4 5

Males 5 21 7 25

2015 2016 2017 2018

Sexual exploitation 8 4 3 2

Forced labour 9 21 8 30

5

– Azerbaijan – The current legislation on trafficking in persons in Azerbaijan covers all forms of trafficking indicated in the UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol. Investigations and Suspects The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that in 2017, a total of 28 cases of trafficking in persons were prosecuted. In the indicated period, 55 persons were investigated, 36 prosecuted and 33 convicted of trafficking in persons. Of those convicted, 25 were female and eight were male.

Source: The Ministry of Internal Affairs.



Persons prosecuted for trafficking in persons, by sex, 2010-2018


129

7279 79

67 67

8978

98109

141 142 144

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Females 13 14 18 15

Males 9 3 8 2

Total 39 20 36 36 34

6

Victims

Detected victims of trafficking in persons, by age and sex, 2005-2018

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs.

In 2017, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported 71 victims of trafficking in persons. Among them, 66 were female and 5 were male. In the reporting period, 68 victims of trafficking in persons were citizens of Azerbaijan and the rest were foreign nationals. Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs.

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Females 69

Males 1

Men 17 14 3 1

Women 35 41 51 47

Girls 1

Boys 1

Total 1 86 101 78 91 34 29 70 98

7

− Belarus –

The current legislation on trafficking in persons in Belarus covers all forms of trafficking indicated in the UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol. Investigations and suspects


Source: Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Belarus.

Number of persons brought into formal contact with the police and/or criminal justice system because they have been suspected of, arrested for or cautioned for

trafficking in persons**, 2015 – 2019


**Formal contact with the police and/or criminal justice system may include persons suspected, arrested,

or cautioned at the national level.

99

152

107

136

93

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

63

43

51

64

54

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

8

Number of persons prosecuted for trafficking in persons, by sex, 2015 – 2019


Number of persons convicted of trafficking in persons, by sex, 2015 – 2019


Victims

Number of victims of trafficking in persons detected, by age and sex, 2015 – 2018


2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Females 11 14 7 10 18

Males 46 46 27 29 30

59

28

41 39

2016 2017 2018 2019

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Women 107 96 96 107 92

Girls 9 64 26 13 18

Men 1 17 2 5 6

Boys 4 7 7 17 10

9

The forms of exploitation that are prevalent in Belarus are trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labour. The majority of victims are trafficked for sexual exploitation, with 164 persons trafficked for this purpose in 2016, 128 in 2017, 132 in 2018 and 123 in 2019. Victims trafficked for forced labour purposes were detected in smaller numbers, with 20 in 2016, 3 in 2017, 10 in 2018 and 3 in 2019.


The majority of persons identified as victims of trafficking during the reporting period were nationals of Belarus. In 2016 and 2017, the victims were all citizens of countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.


Type of trafficking in persons of own nationals, 2016 – 2019 (Tot=582)


Additional information In 2017 and 2018, 23 citizens of Belarus were repatriated from Russia and 20 from Turkey. During the same period of time, 21 were repatriated from countries in Western and Southern Europe and 8 from the Middle East. Between 2017 and 2019, 33 citizens of Belarus were repatriated from Russia and 16 from Turkey. During the same time period, 31 were repatriated from countries in Western and Southern Europe and 10 from the Middle East and North Africa.


Own nationals domestically

trafficked, 426

Own nationals repatriated from

other countries,156

10

− Georgia − The current legislation on trafficking in persons in Georgia covers all forms of trafficking indicated in the UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol. Investigations and suspects


Source: The Secretariat (Public International Law Department of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia) of the Inter-Agency

Council on Combatting Trafficking in Persons, Ministry of Internal Affairs and the General Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia.

Between 2017 and 2018, a total of 11 persons were prosecuted for trafficking in persons. Of these, nine were females and two were males. The numbers and profiles were the same for those arrested or investigated for the crime. In the same period, eight persons were convicted, all but one female. In terms of citizenship, all persons convicted were either nationals of Georgia or of another country in the subregion.

Source: The Secretariat (Public International Law Department of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia) of the Inter-Agency Council on Combatting Trafficking in Persons, Ministry of Internal Affairs and the General Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia.

Victims Georgian law delineates between two types of trafficking victims: victim of trafficking and statutory victim of trafficking. The difference originates from the authority granting the status. A person who is given the title victim of trafficking is granted this status by a Permanent Group of the Inter-Agency Council on Combatting Trafficking in Persons within 48 hours based on the questionnaires of mobile group of the State Fund for Protection of and Assistance to Statutory Victims of Trafficking in Persons. A person with the title of statutory victim of trafficking is given this status by law enforcement authorities in accordance with Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia. Both types of victims receive the same free state services and rights. However, each authority maintains separate records.

Source: The Secretariat (Public International Law Department of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia) of the Inter-Agency Council on Combatting Trafficking in Persons.

18

20

21 21

2015 2016 2017 2018

11

In 2015, eight adult victims were identified as victims of trafficking in persons (five males, three females). For the three following years, all identified victims were female: one woman in 2016, three women and one girl in 2017, and two women in 2018.

Source: The Secretariat (Public International Law Department of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia) of the Inter-Agency Council on Combatting Trafficking in Persons, LEPL State Fund for Protection and Assistance of Victims and Statutory

Victims of Human Trafficking.

All victims identified in 2017 and 2018 were trafficked for sexual exploitation purposes. Victims were either citizens of Georgia or another country in the subregion. All Georgian victims were trafficked domestically.

Source: The Secretariat (Public International Law Department of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia) of the Inter-Agency Council on Combatting Trafficking in Persons, LEPL State Fund for Protection and Assistance of Victims and Statutory

Victims of Human Trafficking.

12

− Kazakhstan − The current legislation on trafficking in persons in Kazakhstan, criminalizes trafficking in persons for the purpose of sexual exploitation and forced labour under Articles 116, 125, 126(3)(b) 128, 134, 135, 308, and 309 of the Criminal Code. Investigations and suspects


Source: Committee on Legal Statistics and Special Accounts of the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Number of persons convicted of trafficking in persons, 2016 – 2019

Source: Committee on Legal Statistics and Special Accounts of theProsecutor General of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

345

304276

182

2016 2017 2018 2019

131

168

133

64

2016 2017 2018 2019

13

Victims

In 2016, 110 victims of trafficking in persons were detected. In 2017 and 2018, 86 and 88 victims were detected, respectively. In 2018, 44 victims were detected.

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.



Between 2016 and 2019, 301 of the 328 victims whose citizenship was known were citizens of Kazakhstan. The remaining 27 victims were citizens of countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Type of trafficking in persons of own nationals, 2016 – 2019 (Tot=301)


Additional information Kazakh victims were repatriated from diverse parts of the world between 2016 and 2019, including from countries in East Asia, South America, the Middle East and Western and Southern Europe.


2016 2017 2018 2019

Others 7 15 6 6

Organ removal 0 1 0 0



Own nationals repatriated from other

countries, 30

Own nationals domestically trafficked,

271

14

− Kyrgyzstan − The current legislation on trafficking in persons in Kyrgyzstan criminalizes trafficking in persons for the purpose of sexual exploitation and forced labour under Article 124 of the Criminal Code and also covers “child adoption for commercial purposes”. On January 2019, the Government adopted an amendment to Article 124 of the Criminal Code, which, once implemented, would bring the legislation in line with the UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol. Investigations and suspects


Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic.



18

10

7

4

2014 2015 2016 2017

2014 2015 2016 2017

Females 16 9 6 1

Males 5 0 2 3

15

In 2018, Kyrgyz authorities opened ten criminal cases under Art. 124, of which six were merged into one case. One case was terminated and two were referred to the court for consideration.

Source: Office of the Prosecutor General of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Victims

Number of victims of trafficking in persons detected, by age, 2014 – 2017



Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic.

During the indicated period, Kyrgyz authorities reported no cases of trafficking for the purposes of forced labour nor for child sexual exploitation.

Source: Office of the Prosecutor General of the Kyrgyz Republic.

2014 2015 2016 2017

Adults 10 4 4 2

Children 10 7 4 6

2014 2015 2016 2017



16

− Tajikistan −

The current legislation on trafficking in persons in Tajikistan covers trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and forced labour, as well as other forms of trafficking indicated in the UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol. The Criminal Code of Tajikistan specifically criminalises trafficking in persons under Article 130, 130 (1), 132, 167, 241 (1), 335 (1), 335 (2), 340 (3).

Investigations and suspects

Number of cases of trafficking in persons and related offences recorded,

2016 – June 2020

Source: Ministry of the Interior.

Number of persons accused of trafficking in persons under Article 131(1) (trafficking in persons) and Article 167 (trafficking in children), by sex, 2018 – June 2020

Source: Ministry of Interior.

38

51

57

42

51

2016 2017 2018 2019 Jan-Jun 2020

2018 2019 Jan-Jun 2020

Females 44 31 8

Males 3 1 9

17

Number of persons convicted of trafficking in persons and related offences, by form of exploitation, 2016 – 2018


National authorities reported that all persons convicted of trafficking in persons between 2016 and 2018 were citizens of Tajikistan.


Victims Number of victims of trafficking in persons under Article 131(1) (trafficking in persons) and

Article 167 (trafficking in children) detected, by age and sex**, 2018 – June 2020


**National legislation of Tajikistan defines children in terms of human trafficking as “newborns” and children under two

years of age. However, “children,” as defined under article 3 (d) of the UN Protocol, means any person under 18 years of age, hence here including “newborns” as “children.”

2016 2017 2018

Illegal adoption 14 35 29

Sexual exploitation 17 32 20

2018 2019 Jan-Jun 2020

Children 11 10 7

Women 27 16 10

Men 0 0 0

18

Number of victims of trafficking in persons and related offences detected, by form of exploitation, 2016 – 2018

Source: Ministry of Interiors.

Between 2016 and 2018, all persons detected by national authorities as victims of trafficking in persons were nationals of Tajikistan. Among them, 15 were repatriated from third countries, with almost all repatriated from the United Arab Emirates.


2016 2017 2018

Other 7 11 10

Forced labour 1 0 0

Sexual exploitation 22 40 31

19

− The Republic of Moldova − The current legislation on trafficking in persons in the Republic of Moldova covers all forms of trafficking indicated in the UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol. The criminal code differentiates between trafficking in human beings (adults) (Article 165) and child trafficking (Article 2016). Investigations and suspects

Number of cases of trafficking in persons recorded under Articles 165 and 206,

2015 – 2018

Source: General Prosecutor’s Office, Republic of Moldova General Police Inspectorate Centre

for Combating Trafficking in Persons.


trafficking in persons**, 2014 – June 2017

Source: General Prosecutor’s Office.

**Formal contact with the police and/or criminal justice system may include persons suspected, arrested, or cautioned at

the national level.

2015 2016 2017 2018

Trafficking in human beings(adults) (Art. 165)

151 203 194 238

Trafficking in children (Art. 206) 38 53 68 63

242

189

152

68

2014 2015 2016 Jan-Jun 2017

20

In 2014, 123 males and 119 females were brought into formal contact with the police and/or criminal justice system.


As of 2018, Moldovan officials have documented six criminal groups potentially specializing in trafficking in persons. The members of these groups are mostly Moldovan nationals with a smaller number of the remaining members originating from other countries in the subregion.

Source: Republic of Moldova General Police Inspectorate Centre for Combating Trafficking in Persons.

Number of persons prosecuted for trafficking in persons under Articles 165 and 206, 2014 – June 2017


In 2014, 28 males and six females were convicted of trafficking in persons (adults). In the same year, 18 males and 11 females were convicted of child trafficking.


2014 2015 2016 Jan-Jun 2017


46 52 43 23


21

Number of persons convicted of trafficking in persons under Articles 165 and 206, 2014 – June 2017


In 2014, nine males and 25 females were convicted of trafficking in persons (adults) under Article 165. In the same year, six males and three females were convicted of child trafficking under Article 206.


National authorities of Moldova reported that the majority of persons convicted of trafficking in persons in 2014 were nationals of Moldova. Additional persons convicted were citizens of Armenia, Bulgaria, and Albania.


Victims


Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs – Centre for Combating Trafficking in Persons, Republic of Moldova General Police

Inspectorate Centre for Combating Trafficking in Persons.

2014 2015 2016 Jan-Jun 2017


34 29 48 13


2015 2016 2017 2018

Boys 11 4 49 11

Girls 56 31 31 17

Men 89 102 112 193

Women 153 95 98 103

22


Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs – Centre for Combating Trafficking in Persons.

Between 2014 and 2017, the majority of identified victims of trafficking were citizens of Moldova. A smaller number of victims were citizens of Syria and Germany.

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs – Centre for Combating Trafficking in Persons.

Between 2016 and 2018, 80 per cent of adult victims and 34 per cent of child victims were trafficked internationally, while 20 per cent and 66 per cent were trafficked domestically, respectively.

Source: Republic of Moldova General Police Inspectorate Centre for Combating Trafficking in Persons.

Countries from which victims of trafficking in persons were repatriated, 2016 – 2018

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs – Centre for Combating Trafficking in Persons, Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection.

2015 2016 2017 2018

Other 0 0 0 1

Mixed 0 1 0 2

Forced criminal activity 2 19 0 0

Forced begging 28 26 22 11

Removal of organs 6 0 5 0



Russian Federation, 53

Germany, 34

Czechia, 29

Western and Southern Europe,

25

Portugal , 17 Spain, 17Poland, 14

Slovakia, 12

Turkey , 11

Turkey, 11

Other Central and South Eastern

Europe, 8

Other Eastern Europe and

Central Asia , 2

Other, 2

23

− Turkmenistan − The current legislation in Turkmenistan, the Criminal Code, criminalizes all forms of trafficking in persons indicated in the UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol. Investigations and suspects




trafficking in persons, by sex**, 2014 – 2017



the national level.

6

3

2

1

2014 2015 2016 2017

2014 2015 2016 2017

Females 4 3 4 2

Males 5 1 0 0

24

Number of persons prosecuted for trafficking in persons, by sex, 2014 –2017




All persons convicted of trafficking in persons in the indicated period were nationals of Turkmenistan.


2014 2015 2016 2017

Females 4 1 2 3

Males 5 1 0 0

2014 2015 2016 2017

Females 5 2 2 2

Males 3 1 1 0

25

Victims

Number of victims of trafficking in persons detected, by age and sex, 2014 –2017


Most of the detected victims was trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation, with a lower number trafficked for forced labour. All detected victims were nationals of Turkmenistan and repatriated from other countries, including India, Russia, and Turkey.


2014 2015 2016 2017

Men 5 0 0 0

Women 8 6 2 1

26

− Ukraine − The current legislation on trafficking in persons in Ukraine covers all forms of trafficking indicated in the UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol. Investigations and suspects

Number of persons prosecuted for trafficking in persons, 2014 – 2018

Source: State Judiciary Administration of Ukraine, Ministry of Interior of Ukraine.

Number of persons convicted of trafficking in persons, 2014 – 2018

Source: State Judiciary Administration of Ukraine, Ministry of Interior of Ukraine.

109 111 115

346

291

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

29

23

28

23

29

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

27

Victims

Number of victims of trafficking in persons identified by IOM, 2014 –2018

Source: The International Organisation for Migration.

Number of victims of trafficking in persons identified by IOM, by gender, 2014-2018


899

742

11501245

1192

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Males 529 362 688 768 734

Females 370 380 462 477 458

28

Number of victims of trafficking in persons identified by IOM, by type of exploitation, 2014 – 2018


Countries of destination of victims of trafficking, 2014 – 2018 (Tot=5228)


2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Forced Labour 828 674 1081 1134 1088

Sexual exploitation 52 53 47 85 84

Mixed sexual and labourexploitation

0 0 1 1 1

Forced Begging 19 14 11 17 9

Others 0 1 10 8 10

Russian Federation, 3300Poland, 908

Ukraine , 440

Turkey, 65Belarus, 62

Italy, 52

Kazakisthan , 66

Moldova, 58

Germany, 41Georgia, 42

Other, 194

29

− Uzbekistan − The current legislation on trafficking in persons in Uzbekistan covers all forms of trafficking indicated in the UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol. Investigations and suspects




trafficking in persons, by sex**, 2014 – 2017

Source: Ministry of Interior.


the national level.

530

412390

305

2014 2015 2016 2017

2014 2015 2016 2017

Females 390 322 318 322

Males 259 229 192 83

30

Number of persons prosecuted for trafficking in persons, by sex, 2014 – 2017


The same number of persons prosecuted for trafficking in persons in the indicated years were also convicted of the crime. All persons convicted were Uzbek nationals.


Victims



2014 2015 2016 2017

Females 390 322 318 322

Males 259 229 192 83

2014 2015 2016 2017

Boys 25 27 34 48

Girls 28 33 23 24

Men 793 618 351 198

Women 433 328 366 303

31



All detected victims in the indicated period were citizens of Uzbekistan.


2014 2015 2016 2017

Sale of a newborn child 39 42 53 61



country profile...country profile eastern europe and central asia 2 table of contents − armenia...

Documents