Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ANKARA320
2009-02-27 15:47:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

TURKEY: 9TH ANNUAL TIP REPORT: SUPPLEMENTAL:

Tags:  KTIP KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5149
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAK #0320/01 0581547
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271547Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8937
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/TREASURY DEPT WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000320 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR: G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, PRM, EUR/SE, EUR/PGI; DEPT
FOR USAID

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KTIP KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB
TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: 9TH ANNUAL TIP REPORT: SUPPLEMENTAL:
PROSECUTION, MILITARY TRAINING, MISCELLANEOUS

REF: A. ANKARA 273

B. ANKARA 274

C. ANKARA 275

D. 08 SECSTATE 132759

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000320

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR: G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, PRM, EUR/SE, EUR/PGI; DEPT
FOR USAID

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KTIP KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB
TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: 9TH ANNUAL TIP REPORT: SUPPLEMENTAL:
PROSECUTION, MILITARY TRAINING, MISCELLANEOUS

REF: A. ANKARA 273

B. ANKARA 274

C. ANKARA 275

D. 08 SECSTATE 132759


1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.


2. (U) This cable is a supplement to the three-part response
(refs A, B, C) to ref D questions, for which some GOT data
was still outstanding at the time of submission. Embassy
point of contact is Anthony Renzulli, telephone
90-312-457-7178, fax 90-312-468-4775.

Government Measures to Ensure
Peacekeepers Deployed Abroad
do Not Engage In or Facilitate TIP
--------------


3. (SBU) The Turkish military recorded no incidents of
Turkish military personnel having engaged in or facilitated
human trafficking or exploiting victims of such trafficking.
As reported in ref A, Prevention, para G, Turkish military
personnel participate in NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP)
training, hosted by the Ankara-based PfP training center.
Seven Turkish and 37 foreign military personnel attended the
training in 2008; forty additional Turkish and PfP military
personnel received the course during the last week of
February 2009. The MFA also reported that personnel assigned
to peace-keeping duties are given a one week course on TIP.
Turkish military personnel in 2008 also participated in MOJ
and IOM-led seminars on trafficking.

Law Enforcement Statistics
--------------


4. (SBU) According to MOJ data provided by MFA, 104 new
Turkish Penal Code (TPC) Article 80 (human trafficking) cases
were opened in 2008, and 95 transferred from the previous
year. Five cases were annulled, bringing the total number of
cases prosecuted in 2008 to 204. 69 cases were finalized in
2008 and 135 transferred to 2009. Those 69 cases involved
prosecutions against 273 suspected human traffickers and the
135 transferred cases were against 627 suspects. Judicial
action was initiated against 248 suspected traffickers in

2008. 158 of those were arrested, 55 were to be prosecuted

on release, 28 remained at large, and four were deported.


5. (SBU) Judicial data compilation and reporting on TIP
prosecutions improved greatly last year. Rather than
providing statistics from Turkey's 81 judicial districts, the
data this year was compiled. As reported in ref B,
Prosecutions, Turkey can and does prosecute and convict
traffickers under a wide range of statutes in addition to TPC
Article 80. However, in the past, it has been difficult to
ascertain precisely which convictions specifically targeted
traffickers. Clarifying the picture, this year, in response
to our question on convictions, the GOT reported to us TPC
Article 80 convictions and cases opened under TPC Article 80
but convicted under another statute as de facto convictions
of human traffickers.


6. (SBU) According to MOJ data provided by MFA, 13
traffickers were convicted under TPC Article 80 -- a
three-fold increase over last year. Sentences averaged eight
years plus monetary fines. In addition to the TPC Article 80
convictions, prosecutions against 39 suspected traffickers
were opened under TPC Article 80 but the suspects ultimately
prosecuted and sentenced under TPC Article 227 (mediating
prostitution). These sentences averaged 3-4 years'
imprisonment plus monetary fines. A prosecution against one
trafficker was opened under TPC Article 80 but prosecuted
under TPC Article 109 covering deprivation of liberty. The
sentence was 2-4 years' imprisonment. Five prosecutions were
opened under TPC Article 80 but the traffickers ultimately
prosecuted and sentenced under TPC Article 79, the statute
covering migrant smuggling. They received 2-4 years and a
fine.

Issuance of Humanitarian Visas
--------------


7. (SBU) The GOT issued two humanitarian visas (see ref C,
Protection and Assistance to Victims, para A) in 2008.

ANKARA 00000320 002 OF 002



Additional Information Not Reported in Reftels
-------------- -


8. (U) VICTIMS IDENTIFIED: Of the 118 victims identified by
the GOT, nine were trafficked for labor (the rest for sexual
exploitation); eleven were below the age of 18.


9. (U) TRAINING (in addition to the training and seminars
reported reftels): Under a new program, 54 Turkish National
Police (TNP) officers began receiving Russian language
training in 2008. 109 Jandarma officials in 2008 received
the agency's four-week course on human smuggling and
trafficking; 335 have received it since 2006. The MOJ and
British Embassy conducted a joint seminar in Ankara on human
trafficking and alien smuggling February 4-6, 2008. Seven
public prosecutors participated in the seminar and 100 judges
and prosecutors participated in an Antalya-based seminar
under the same UK-Turkish partnership. The TNP Public Order
Department, with British police, held a meeting in Istanbul
March 5-6, 2008 on prosecuting sex crimes. 33 police
officers from 16 provinces participated; a follow-up seminar
was held in November.


10. (U) INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION (in addition to the
cooperation reported reftels): MFA reported specific
international cooperation on 35 trafficking incidents, 11
through the Southeast Europe Cooperation Initiative (SECI),
21 with Interpol, two with Ukraine and one with Georgia. One
SECI tip resulted in two traffickers arrested and one victim
saved. Two joint operations with Ukraine resulted in eight
suspects arrested and four victims saved. TNP Foreigners
Department provided TIP training to ten Kyrgyz police
officers. TNP Smuggling and Organized Crime Department
coordination meetings with foreign police officials continued
in 2008.


11. (SBU) OFFICIAL INVOLVEMENT IN TIP: As per ref B,
Prosecution, para J, the GOT took action against 25 security
officials in 2008. In addition, one judge was prosecuted
under TPC Article 227 and sentenced to two years'
imprisonment. The Ardahan Heavy Penal Court in June 2008
convicted a Judicial Hall employee to one year and six
months' imprisonment (sentences of less than two years can be
converted to fines) and barred him from public service for
one year for mediating prostitution and organized crime. Two
prosecutors were "retired under scrutiny" for relations with
suspected human traffickers, but investigations resulted in
insufficient evidence for prosecution. Two Hanak
Prosecutor's Office employees were warned concerning
suspected involvement in mediating prostitution and human
trafficking. There was insufficient evidence for prosecution
or strict administrative reprimand. Administrative action
was taken against the Gaziantep and the Gaziosmanpasa Public
Prosecutors for friendships with suspected traffickers.


12. (SBU) CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE: As reported in ref B, Turkey
is not known as a source or destination country for child sex
tourism. However, the GOT reported that one Turkish fugitive
was captured abroad and repatriated for raping his minor
daughter.


13. (U) SHELTER ASSISTANCE: The Istanbul shelter,
administered by the Human Resource Development Foundation
(HRDF),has assisted six victims so far in 2009, five from
Turkmenistan and one from Moldova.


14. (SBU) HEROES: We nominated HRDF Board Chairman Turgut
Tokus as a Hero in the fight against TIP. We continue to
support the nomination strongly but learned after our
submission that Tokus recently became an American citizen
(though he plans for the foreseeable future to continue to
reside in Turkey and continue his work with HRDF).

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey

Jeffrey