Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BAKU1567
2006-10-30 08:25:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Baku
Cable title:  

AZERBAIJAN'S ANTI-TIP PROGRESS: SHELTER OPEN, MIA

Tags:  KWMN PHUM PGOV PREL AJ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO3589
PP RUEHAST RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHMRE RUEHROV RUEHSR
RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHKB #1567/01 3030825
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 300825Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAKU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1563
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 001567 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CACEN G/TIP (JENNIFER SCHROCK-DONNELLY)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KWMN PHUM PGOV PREL AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN'S ANTI-TIP PROGRESS: SHELTER OPEN, MIA
RESTRUCTURED

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 001567

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CACEN G/TIP (JENNIFER SCHROCK-DONNELLY)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KWMN PHUM PGOV PREL AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN'S ANTI-TIP PROGRESS: SHELTER OPEN, MIA
RESTRUCTURED


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Over the past few months, the GOAJ been
quite active in its anti-TIP efforts, making progress on
several fronts. In this time, the Ministry of Internal
Affairs (MIA) has undergone restructuring by removing the
anti-TIP sub-unit from the Organized Crime Unit (OCU) -
notorious for gross human rights violations - and creating a
new Unit to Combat Trafficking in Persons. Former Lankaran
Chief of Police, Rafig Abbasov, has been brought in as the
head of this new unit, and former head of the anti-TIP
sub-unit, Imran Najafov, has been named deputy. After
undergoing months of renovations, the shelter for victims of
trafficking in persons was opened in an October 11 official
ceremony. Although the MIA is still working to identify a
suitable location for a TIP hotline, the GOAJ recently
assigned a number for the hotline that is accessible
toll-free both in Azerbaijan and internationally. END SUMMARY


2. (SBU) In an August 1 decree, President Ilham Aliyev
announced the restructuring of the MIA, which included the
creation of a new Unit to Combat Trafficking in Persons.
Rafig Abbasov, the former Chief of the Lankaran Police
Department, has been named as the head of the new Unit to
Combat Trafficking in Persons, while Imran Najafov, who was
previously the head of the anti-TIP sub-unit, has been
appointed deputy. Prior to this decree, the GOAJ's anti-TIP
efforts were the responsibility of a sub-unit located within
the OCU, a unit that has been implicated repeatedly in
credible allegations of gross human rights violations and has
failed to properly investigate and prosecute those
responsible for these violations.


3. (SBU) As long as the anti-TIP sub-unit was located within
the OCU, the Leahy Amendment prohibited USG-funded training
for Azerbaijan's Special Anti-Trafficking (SPAT) officers.
Now that the unit has been removed from the OCU, Azerbaijan's
SPAT officers stand a better chance of receiving much-needed
USG-funded training - provided, of course, that the
individual officers have not committed any gross human rights
violations. (Note: Post is still trying to obtain the
completed applications and background investigation notes on
the current SPAT officers. Until the MIA provides this
information, it is impossible to determine if these officers
were hired and vetted in a manner compliant with
international standards.)


4. (SBU) After undergoing months of renovations, the shelter
for TIP victims was opened in an October 11 official ceremony
attended by the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Ambassador,
and the members of the International TIP Working Group -
comprised of the Embassy and Baku-based representatives from
the OSCE and IOM. The volunteer shelter staff - who received
USG-funded training in July - will spend several weeks
acclimating to the shelter's schedule and procedures, after
which the shelter will be ready to receive victims. With the
exception of a delay in the installation of surveillance
equipment promised by the OSCE, all appliances and furniture
are in place. (Note: This equipment is not critical for the
shelter to function. OSCE representatives have told us that
the equipment has been ordered and will be installed soon.)


5. (SBU) In a step beyond the agreement outlined in
Azerbaijan's National TIP Action Plan, the GOAJ recently
assigned a TIP hotline number that is accessible toll-free
both in Azerbaijan and internationally. However, the hotline
number cannot be put to use until the MIA identifies a
location suitable to house the hotline. The MIA had
previously agreed to find a location by August 31, a deadline
that was not met. Shortly thereafter, the Unit to Combat
Trafficking in Persons staff proposed one location that was
technically acceptable to the International TIP Working
Group, but subsequently informed the International TIP
Working Group that the location was not appropriate, citing
security concerns. The MIA is currently searching for another
location that will have the proper security measures in place.


6. (SBU) COMMENT: Now that the shelter is completely
renovated and furnished, it will be ready to receive victims
as soon as the volunteers have acclimated to the schedule and
procedures. The initial group of shelter residents will
consist of victims who are currently housed with local NGOs,
but it likely will be several months before unidentified
victims develop the confidence to come to the shelter. In
addition, until the hotline is functioning, the proper
nationwide referral network necessary to provide victims with
information about the shelter will not be in place. We
continue to engage the MIA on its anti-TIP efforts (including

BAKU 00001567 002 OF 002


press reports on a series of recent TIP arrests) and will
report further developments septel.
DERSE