TURKEY: FIFTH ANNUAL TIP REPORT UPDATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001097 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP, G, INL, INL/CTR, DRL, PRM, IWI DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, EUR/PGI DEPARTMENT FOR USAID DEPARTMENT PLS PASS ALL AID MISSIONS IN EUROPE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB TU TIP IN TURKEY SUBJECT: TURKEY: FIFTH ANNUAL TIP REPORT UPDATE REF: A) SECSTATE 273089 B) ANKARA 589 C) ANKARA 590 D) ANKARA 591 E) ANKARA 592 F) ANKARA 903 ¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶2. (U) Post's responses are keyed to questions in Reftel A, supplementing responses submitted previously in Reftels B, C, D, and E. Embassy point of contact is Maria Lane. Lane (rank: FS-05) spent approximately 20 hours in preparation of this report. Political Counselor John Kunstadter (rank: FS-01) spent approximately 2 hours in preparation of this report. Overview -------------- ¶A. (SBU) Between January 1, 2005 and February 25, 2005, the International Organization of Migration (IOM) alone assisted 36 trafficked individuals, more than half the total of 66 for the entire year of 2004. IOM Strategic Consultant Allan Freedman believes that this increase is due to Turkish law enforcement working more aggressively to identify victims of trafficking and referring them to IOM. ¶B. (U) For the 239 foreign victims identified in 2004 data compiled by the Ministry of Interior, the source countries were distributed as follows: Moldova (62),Russia (61), Ukraine (26),Azerbaijan (23),Kyrgyzstan (19),Georgia (16), Romania (11),Kazakhstan (9),Uzbekistan (5),Turkmenistan (3),Belarus (2),and Iran (1). In 2005 to date, IOM has repatriated victims to the following countries: Ukraine (24), Moldova (5),Russia (5),Kazakhstan (4),Georgia (1),Belarus (1),and Uzbekistan (1) (data for seven were unavailable). In 2005, twenty-one victims were between 19 and 25 years old. Five victims were older than 26, and four were between 16 and 18 years old. ¶G. (U) In addition to GOT efforts described in reftels B, C, D, and E, on February 11, 2005 the GOT launched a joint anti-trafficking campaign with IOM. The GOT is contributing 100,000 USD to the campaign, launched at an MFA press conference (see reftel F). This campaign, to be implemented by IOM in coordination with the GOT, includes the following activities: --PREVENTION: Turk Telecom and the GOT agreed on the new hotline number 157 for victims of trafficking. IOM will operate the hotline in its first six-month "training period," then turned over to a qualified NGO. The anti-trafficking campaign will also include public awareness targeting potential victims, the general public, and those creating a "demand" for trafficked victims. Potential/actual victims will be given a passport insert at the border highlighting the hotline number. IOM will work with an Istanbul-based survey firm to develop two messages, one geared at the general public and one raising awareness of the "clients" to make them part of the solution. --PROTECTION: As part of the anti-trafficking campaign, staff working at the Istanbul shelter for trafficking victims run by Human Resource Development Foundation (HRDF) completed training focusing on base shelter operations, psychological, and social assistance. The Ankara municipality has also committed to supporting a shelter in Ankara. MFA officials, together with MinInt officials, IOM, and HRDF, will select an NGO to run the Ankara shelter in early March 2005. In mid-February, 2005, 1500 Jandarma recruits attended a counter-terrorism orientation program presented by IOM at the Jandarma's request. MinInt Departments of Public Order and Organized Crime have also requested training, at their own expense. --PROSECUTION: Sweeping revisions to the Turkish penal code, which enter into effect April 1, 2005, include stiffened penalties for traffickers and wider definitions of human trafficking. As preparation, the Ministry of Justice is currently conducting 5-day workshops around the country, training a total of 6,000 prosecutors and judges in the new changes to the law. Article 80, governing human trafficking, is included in the training. Prevention -------------- ¶C. (U) The MFA released a press statement on February 11, 2005 launching an anti-trafficking campaign, which was covered in all the major Turkish dailies. The project is funded by a 600,000 USD ESF grant and a 100,000 USD in-kind contribution from the GOT. A large component of the project is public awareness, as described in excerpts from the press release: BEGIN TEXT: On February 11, 2005, the Government of Turkey launched the "Counter-Trafficking Now!" campaign. The one-year project is aimed at preventing trafficking in human beings through a nationwide information and awareness campaign and stepped up law enforcement. Safe housing and other assistance to trafficked persons is also part of the $700,000 USD initiative. The project will be implemented by the International Organization for Migration, funded by the U.S. Government (sic) and coordinated by the Government of Turkey. Key activities include: Information and Awareness: The initiative would fund the first nationwide information and awareness campaign about the realities of human trafficking in Turkey. Potential trafficked individuals will receive information at key border crossings. These handouts will include key facts on the danger signs of trafficking and include the three-digit national toll-free telephone hotline for emergency assistance. When fully operational this spring, the hotline may be called anywhere, anytime from any phone, including mobiles. Trafficked individuals are routinely tricked and deceived before and after they cross the border by promises of good jobs, only to be forced to work in the sex industry and elsewhere against their will and for no pay. The campaign will also target the general public with television and radio advertisements and an international web site on human trafficking in Turkey and what we can all do to combat human trafficking. END TEXT. Investigation and Prosecution of Traffickers -------------- ¶D. (SBU) According to statistics obtained by the MFA, prosecutions were opened against 227 suspected traffickers who were caught. (Note: According to judicial contacts in Ankara, when there is any evidence about the committal of a crime, the case must be brought to trial, even if evidence is not strong. Contacts estimated that one-third of the cases are dismissed for lack of evidence. End Note.) MFA and MOJ officials cite difficulties in gathering and tracking data on human trafficking from the 80 courts with jurisdiction over the issue. In addition to the logistical problems in gathering information, there is some degree of confusion in the lower courts over distinctions between trafficking in persons and illegal migration. As a result, MOJ officials gathering TIP data sometimes have to make the determination themselves whether a case is properly labeled trafficking in persons. ¶G. (U) In February, 2005, the MOJ began a series of five-day training programs for judges and prosecutors dealing with the new changes to the Penal Code, Execution of Punishments Law, and Criminal Procedural Code. Over 150 trainers will travel to 19 centers throughout the country to train 6,000 judges and prosecutors. According to Ilyas Pehlivan from the MOJ Training Department, the new Article 80 regarding human trafficking will be included, though the amount of time devoted to each section will vary according to the region's priorities. In mid-February, more than 50 prosecutors and judges from Ankara participated in a workshop on prosecuting TIP cases organized by IOM and Embassy Ankara Public Affairs, with support from the MOJ. Dr. Cetin Arslan, Public Prosecutor for the Supreme Court, outlined the recent changes in Turkish law on human trafficking, and Barbara Carlin, RLA in Skopje, worked with participants to develop strategies to prosecute traffickers and analyze case studies. Protection and Assistance to Victims -------------- ¶F. (U) In addition to the Istanbul shelter, for which the Istanbul Municipality contributes rent, concrete plans are underway for opening another shelter in Ankara. The Ankara Municipality has pledged to support the shelter's rent and other in-kind contributions (e.g., electricity, etc.). Aside from physical protection such as the Istanbul shelter, the MinInt has issued circulars instructing that victims are treated and protected in the following ways: -- Assigning female personnel in civil clothing to the victims in their operations at their request; -- Taking measures to prevent victims being in the same area as traffickers and accomplices when they are needed for identification; -- Taking measures to prevent victims from being exposed during investigation and repatriation, including allowing them to go directly to the airplane and bypass passport control; -- Providing for rehabilitation and treatment of victims; -- Taking special measures to safeguard child victims. In surveys conducted by IOM source country offices regarding victims' treatment by police/jandarma/law enforcement in Turkey, 99% indicated that they had been treated well, with one victim stating that she was not treated well. EDELMAN