Govt urged to get tough on human trafficking, rights

FRESH calls have been made for tougher action to control widespread people-trafficking in the TRNC and violations of the rights of foreigners working in the country.

Eight organisations marked July 30 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons with a press conference to demand government measures for combatting the problem of human exploitation and raise public awareness of the issue.

“Although trafficking in persons has been discussed for many years in relation to the dire reality of nightclubs, the issue has spread far beyond that, in terms of location and conditions, and now involves many more victims,” said a statement issued by the organisations — the Cyprus Turkish Bar Associations, Journalists’ Union, Human Rights Foundation, Queer Cyprus Association, Lefkoşa Turkish Municipality, Mağusa Youth Centre, Refugee Rights Association and SOS Children’s Village.

“In addition to the widely discussed trafficking of people for sexual exploitation in this country, there is also labour trafficking, especially in the agriculture, construction and service sectors which have a high proportion of foreign workers,” the statement said.

“Conditions imposed by employers often amount to exploitation while the ongoing lack of inspections prevents identification of [those responsible].

“Although the UN’s Palermo Protocol was ratified by the TRNC Parliament last April, no concrete action has been taken to honour the responsibilities [it entails] or those of any other conventions on human rights ratified by the TRNC.”

The statement highlighted that under the 2000 Palermo Protocol — one of three supplementing the UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime — individual states were required to enact their own laws prohibiting people trafficking and penalising those engaged in it. However the existing TRNC penal code did not recognise human trafficking or enforce identification of its victims, it said.

“In addition . . . there is no shelter, no social or legal support for the victims. Lack of prosecution of traffickers constitutes a major area of impunity and causes ongoing victimisation of the people they lure.”

The organisations expressed “deep concern” that conditions in the TRNC could be producing a growing number of victims and more established organised crime networks, saying: “Modern slavery is not far from us, it is happening among us and traffickers are freely walking around.”

They said it was the responsibility of employers to ensure “dignity at work” and of the government to take urgent anti-trafficking action. This included honouring its responsibilities under international conventions by investigating and prosecuting traffickers, while providing legal, social and psychological support for their victims.