MONTENEGRO: TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS: MORE

UNCLAS BELGRADE 000675 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE AND G/TIP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB MW SUBJECT: MONTENEGRO: TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS: MORE CONVICTIONS REF: BELGRADE 320 ¶1. On April 20, the Superior Court of Bijelo Polje sentenced Rajko S. Djukovic from Pljevlja to three years in prison, and Branislav M. Brasnjo (also from Pljevlja) to two years and eight months and Elvir S. Kalac from Rozaje to two years and six months on charges of human trafficking, pursuant to Article 444 of the Criminal Code of Montenegro (TIP),and Article 507 of the Law on Criminal Proceedings (regarding organized crime). Pronouncing the conviction, the judge, Drago Konatar, stated that Djukovic, Brasnjo and Kalac organized with several unknown persons, from June 29 to July 5, 2005, transportation of four Bangladeshi nationals (Muhhamad Kamruzzaman, Md Masud Ranu, Shamim Mizi and Ratan Mizi) and 15 unknown foreign nationals from Kosovo through Montenegro to Bosnia and Herzegovina. ¶2. Djukovic was convicted for duping the four Bangladeshi citizens to come first to Kosovo and then to Montenegro in order to develop textile businesses in Berane (Montenegro),taking from them a total of 9,000 euros. Kalac was sentenced on charges of transporting several groups from Kosovo to Montenegro outside the administrative border crossing at Kula, and Brasnjo for organizing the transportation from Rozaje to Pljevlja (wholly within Montenegro) for 70 - 80 euros per person. Djukovic also organized the illicit transportation of several groups of foreign nationals from Montenegro to Bosnia and Herzegovina through the mountain Ljubisnja. ¶2. The three will begin serving their sentences after they receive notice from the Institute for Execution of Criminal Sanctions. (Note: The GoM plans to amend the law to avoid the anomalous result where newly convicted felons are briefly released from jail. End note.) The time spent in detention while awaiting trial and sentencing will be deducted from the overall length of sentence. Comment -------------- ¶3. The GoM is more aggressively applying its strong anti- TIP legislation in connection with new procedures to fight organized crime (both adopted in April 2004) to steadily secure more TIP convictions. The GoM had only one conviction for TIP before 2005, then five more late last year. With maximum sentences for TIP set at ten years, the recent convictions match the average for sentences actually imposed. The source of the victims, Bangladesh, is unusual: most TIP victims here are from the region, usually minor females forced into prostitution. POLT