AZERBAIJAN: NINTH ANNUAL TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT

UNCLAS BAKU 000141 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP; G-ACBLANK; INL; DRL; PRM; AND EUR/CARC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KTIP PHUM PREF ELAB KCRM KWMN KFRD SMIG AJ SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: NINTH ANNUAL TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT REF: (A) 2008 STATE 132759; (B) 2009 STATE 5577 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. ¶1. (U) Per reftel instructions, Embassy submits answers to reftel questions on Trafficking in Persons in Azerbaijan. Point of contact is Conoff Scott Whitmore, phone 994-50-206-5617, email: whitmoresl@state.gov. Estimated number of hours spent on report is 50 hours. Number/letter format follows that of reftel cable, per instructions. ¶2. (SBU) Summary: Anti-TIP efforts in the Republic of Azerbaijan are conducted under the direction of the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs (MIA),Vilayet Eyvazov, who serves as the National Coordinator for the Fight Against Trafficking in Persons and the Anti-TIP Unit which was created in August 2006 and operates under the national coordinator's direction within the MIA. In comparison to previous years, the GOAJ has taken important steps to increase efforts to combat TIP, including drafting and approving updated legislation for both a national referral mechanism (NRM) and new national action plan (NAP) approved by the GOAJ in February, 2009. They have also improved channels of communication with both NGOs and IOs working in this field by reaching out to both for input on this new legislation. Much work remains, however, in the areas of prevention and protection. Despite claims from the GOAJ and from several NGOs of an increase in outreach programs, efforts to increase awareness are minimal. Also, the government continues to dominate the area of victim protection through their direct funding of both the victim hotline and shelter. While the new NAP includes a NRM, it has not yet been implemented and there remains no formal referral process for TIP victims. Coordination among the government agencies assigned to combat trafficking is infrequent and most agencies do not have a dedicated office for combating TIP, making actual coordination very difficult. End Summary. ¶3. (SBU) THE COUNTRY'S TIP SITUATION ¶A. Trafficking in persons information is available, upon request, from the MIA anti-trafficking department. According to officials from this department, they will establish a trafficking website that will include real time information on trafficking statistics and anti-TIP efforts being conducted. Other sources of trafficking information include yearly reports from international organizations IOM, ILO and OSCE. The newly formed network of local NGOs (NAHTA - Network Against Human Trafficking in Azerbaijan) will also produce a yearly report on government anti-TIP efforts and provide data on the overall TIP situation in Azerbaijan. Local NGO, Azerbaijan Migration Center, produced an alternative TIP report as part of its GTIP grant for 2008-2009. ¶B. Azerbaijan is a country of origin and transit. According to the GOAJ, 78 victims of trafficking were identified in 2008 (76 women, a two year old boy and a newborn child). Most victims were from Azerbaijan however according to the MIA there was also one Ukrainian and two Russian citizens. According to the director of the government hotline shelter there were three victims from another country- one victim each from Moldova, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. They were in transit through Azerbaijan.(Note: This suggests that the actual number and nature of victims may not be accurate as the MIA and government shelter are closely connected). According to the GOAJ and to several local NGOs, the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan remains a transit point for women trafficked to Turkey. It should be noted that there was no reliable information regarding trafficking to, from, or through the Azerbaijani territory currently occupied by Armenian forces, including Nagorno-Karabakh. The GOAJ does not exercise control over this territory. According to the GOAJ, Azerbaijani victims were trafficked primarily by air to the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, and Russia. Several NGOs and ILO believe that trafficking for both forced labor and sexual exploitation occurs within Azerbaijan but exact numbers do not exist. Local NGos believe that lack of specific training for Anti-TIP investigators and a general lack of awareness among the public that forced labor is a punishable crime are the reasons that no cases of forced labor were reported. Of the 78 victims identified by GOAJ, five individuals were under the age of 18, 34 were between 18-25 years old, 30 were between 25-35 years old and 9 were over 35. All were trafficked for sexual exploitation. ¶C. Trafficking for sexual exploitation both within and outside Azerbaijan occurs in motels, apartments and local sauna and massage parlors where prostitution also occurs. Trafficking for forced labor primarily occurs in the agricultural regions outside of Baku and within Baku city in the form of street begging. ¶D. It is difficult to identify vulnerable populations due to the overall lack of information on TIP crimes; however, it is believed that most victims are women who are lured abroad for better economic conditions, including those who knowingly agree to work in the sex industry. Local NGOs reported that traffickers are increasingly using the prospect of marriage to lure victims. This is often through religious marriages, which mostly occurs in Azerbaijan's southern regions. In spite of GOAJ and NGO attention to the matter, religious and early marriages remain a taboo topic and no concrete information is available. Women continue to be the group at the highest risk for trafficking based on the statistics provided by the GOAJ with a growing concern that men are being targeted for exploitation of labor both within Azerbaijan and also to neighboring countries. There is no reliable source of information to indicate that refugees, orphans and other groups of economically disadvantaged people are at risk but members of civil society are concerned that these groups are being targeted with little effort by the GOAJ to prevent this. ¶E. Since the last reporting date there have been 76 TIP criminal cases initiated with 66 cases referred to the court system. The remaining cases are still in the investigative stage. During the year the GOAJ identified 43 unorganized crime groups conducting human trafficking operations in Azerbaijan. The GOAJ did not report any activity in trafficking by organized or transnational crime groups. The GOAJ believes that there are no foreign traffickers operating in Azerbaijan but it is impossible to confirm that statement. The GOAJ believes that most traffickers are individuals who are familiar with their victim or victims and use deception or false promises to lure them overseas for sexual exploitation. Several unconfirmed reports from local NGOs include detailed information of widespread involvement of law enforcement officials in trafficking in persons within Azerbaijan. This is usually in the form of government officials controlling activities at brothels, motels and massage parlors/saunas where both prostitution and forced sexual exploitation occurs. One local NGO provided details on three cases involving both women and children allegedly being taken by police officers to unknown locations for sexual exploitation and held for several months before being released. According to this NGO, most victims are afraid to pursue prosecution because of this alleged police involvement in this activity. ¶4. SETTING THE SCENE FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-TIP EFFORTS ¶A. The GOAJ recognizes that trafficking in persons is a problem. ¶B. In 2006 a national coordinator for the fight against trafficking in persons was created along with a separate Anti-TIP unit also formed to combat human trafficking in Azerbaijan. Both the national coordinator and Anti-TIP unit are under the authority of the MIA. There is also a national government TIP working group that includes the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of National Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, Ministry of Health, the Prosecutor General's Office, the State Committee for Family, Women and Children's Issues, the State Border Services, and the State Customs Committee. The National Coordinator, who is also a deputy minister in the MIA, chairs this working group and also has the lead for all TIP activities in Azerbaijan. ¶C. Funding for anti-trafficking efforts remains low and inconsistent. There appears to be no specific budget for anti-trafficking efforts in any of the ministries assigned to combat TIP and despite the passing of a new NAP, this issue remains a concern. For example, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection has not built any assistance centers throughout Azerbaijan for the rehabilitation of TIP victims, despite being tasked in both the new NAP and the previous one from 2004. According to a TIP advisor from this ministry, there has never been money allocated to this issue despite sufficient overall funding to the ministry. Coordination among the ministries and agencies working on TIP also remains low and unorganized. The national government's TIP working group rarely meets and there appears to be no primary contact or separate office on this issue in any ministry besides MIA, Ministry of Labor and Social Protection and Ministry of Justice. Corruption continues to be a problem throughout Azerbaijan including within the government. While there is no concrete evidence that shows GOAJ officials involved in human trafficking, the low salaries of these officials increases the likelihood of bribery or other forms of corruption. Regarding victims assistance, the GOAJ previously provided a one-time payment to trafficking victims of forty dollars which is a small amount based on the cost of living in Azerbaijan. This amount is set to be increased as part of the new NAP. ¶D. The GOAJ periodically provides statistics and updates on anti-TIP efforts to the USG and other international partners, however, detailed reports including information on individual cases are not available. The Anti-TIP Unit conducts weekly meetings with section heads and the analytical section prepares weekly, monthly and quarterly reports to assist with data review. The GOAJ claims to conduct annual performance evaluations of its investigators however the lack of clarity with their responses suggests otherwise. All assessment information is disseminated by the national coordinator who provides press releases and interviews highlighting anti-TIP efforts. ¶5. (SBU)INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS ¶A. In February 2009, the GOAJ passed a new NAP for the period of 2009-2013. This new NAP updates the previous legislation on the Fight Against Trafficking in Persons and includes article 144.1 (trafficking for sexual exploitation) and article 144.2 (trafficking for forced labor)of the criminal code. The new NAP was written in close consultation with the international community and local NGOs and as such, meets international standards and covers a plethora of TIP circumstances. Azerbaijan also adopted the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings and the new legislation is in accordance with this agreement. The law itself bans trafficking for the purposes of human exploitation, which includes a broad range of activities including sexual exploitation, forced labor, slavery, recruitment for unlawful activity, etc. The law makes no distinction that the activity must involve crossing international borders. The law also sets out an ambitious program that relevant authorities within the GOAJ must undertake in order to investigate, prosecute, and prevent trafficking, as well as provisions for victim protection and rehabilitation. Prior to the law's passage and adoption of criminal code amendments, traffickers were convicted under the country's laws that covered trafficking-related crimes. Outside of the law specifically criminalizing TIP, traffickers may be prosecuted under articles prohibiting slavery, rape, forced prostitution, sexual coercion, operation of brothels, the trade and transit of minors, and involvement of minors under the age of 16 in sexual coercion, prostitution or other obscene acts, and travel document forgery. Taken together, these laws encompass the full scope of possible trafficking activities. In February 2008, as a result of the national TIP working group's recommendation, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the order on "Rules for Immediate and Unconditional Referral to Anti-TIP Unit." This order requires that all relevant law enforcement agencies must refer trafficking cases to the Anti-TIP unit and that this unit has sole jurisdiction over the investigation of these cases including traffickers and victims. The above represents a full inventory of trafficking laws in Azerbaijan, with the relevant penalties described below. The 2005 TIP legislation included, for the first time, the possibility of confiscation of property. While roughly equivalent to a civil forfeiture law, this provision is included in the criminal code. ¶B. The criminal code amendments passed by Parliament in October 2005 established the following penalties for human trafficking without distinction as to the type of human trafficking: Trafficking of one human being is punishable by five to ten years' imprisonment and confiscation of property. -- Trafficking of more than one person, committed repeatedly, or with various special circumstances is punishable by eight to 12 years' imprisonment with confiscation of property. -- Trafficking that results in the death of a victim or other grave results due to negligence is punishable by ten to 15 years imprisonment with confiscation of property. The criminal code also outlines penalties for dissemination of confidential information about a TIP victim, which is a fine of 100 to 500 times the nominal fiscal unit, equal to 1 new manat or approximately USD 1.19, (the average monthly salary is approximately USD 300); up to 240 hours of community service; or up to one year of correctional labor. Should the same act be committed by a person using his or her official status, the fine is increased to 500 to 1,000 times the average monthly salary; one year of correctional labor; or up to six months' imprisonment. If the same actions include grave results, the punishment is one to five years' imprisonment. ¶C. Trafficking for labor exploitation, like other forms of trafficking, is punishable as human trafficking under the criminal code, with penalties as described above. While labor recruiters in labor source countries are convicted under the article on human trafficking, employers and labor agents who confiscate workers' passports and keep workers in a state of service are convicted under the separate article on forced labor. This is punishable by up to two years of correctional work or imprisonment, unless it is organized and carried out by a group, in which case the law would consider it an aggravating circumstance and increase the punishment to three to five years of imprisonment. As mentioned above, there were no cases of trafficking for labor exploitation reported by the GOAJ. ¶D. Under the criminal code provisions, traffickers prosecuted for sexual violence (which can include rape, compulsion to prostitution, compulsory sterilization or commitment against persons of other actions connected to sexual violence) may receive a jail sentence of ten to 15 years or life imprisonment. Rape itself is punishable by four to 15 years. Violent actions of a sexual nature carry a sentence of three to eight years, or up to 15 if the victim is a minor, dies, or contracts HIV. Coercion into sexual actions is punishable by a fine, corrective works, or imprisonment up to three years. The more punitive charges are in line with the penalties for sex trafficking. ¶E. During 2008, the GOAJ reported that it identified 76 instances of human trafficking and 66 trafficking in persons criminal cases were opened. Five cases were still under investigation at year's end. Out of the remaining 61 cases, all were sent to the courts for prosecution. Of these 61 cases, 33 individuals were sentenced to imprisonment from 2 to 6 years; 10 individuals were sentenced to imprisonment from 6 to 8 years and 14 individuals received probational sentences of 1 to 3 years due to severe illness or disability. The remaining 4 cases were not determined to be human trafficking: 2 individuals were absolved of violations under Criminal Code article 144-1 (human trafficking) but were convicted under article 243 of the Criminal Code (pimping) and received probation of 1 year and 6 months and 2 individuals were convicted under article 243 (pimping) and imposed fines of $900USD. ¶F. According to the anti-trafficking unit, their staff members have attended seminars and conferences in Austria, Finland, Poland, France, Ukraine, Estonia and Turkey. Additionally, they have participated in trainings and seminars organized by the European Union,ILO, OSCE, IOM and the US Embassy. The US Embassy has organized a TIP victim treatment workshop for GOAJ officials including investigators, prosecutors and judges. INL has also funded a one year TIP advisor position through IOM to develop capacity within the government affiliated hotline and shelter. This advisor also works closely with GOAJ anti-TIP staff on professional development programs and organized two exchanges to Turkey and Ukraine to observe TIP hotline and shelter operations. The TIP advisor has also played an integral role in the formation of the NAHTA, new NGO network of independent NGOs from both Baku and the regions committed to fighting TIP. ¶G. The GOAJ has signed bilateral extradition agreements with Turkey, Pakistan and UAE. The GOAJ has not received any requests from other countries to assist with international investigations or extraditing citizens accused of trafficking in other countries in 2008. ¶H. As mentioned above, the GOAJ is not currently working with any other countries to extradite citizens from Azerbaijan. In principle, the GOAJ allows for the extradition of Azerbaijani nationals to other countries where a crime was committed; however the GOAJ has said it has no prior experience with this situation. According to its procedures the GOAJ considers the place of origination for trafficking as the jurisdiction under which traffickers should be prosecuted. This means if an Azerbaijani citizen committed a crime in a different country and returned to Azerbaijan, the GOAJ would extradite that person if there was an extradition agreement in place. ¶I. The GOAJ reported that there were no government officials involved in trafficking nor were there any investigations opened into possible involvement of trafficking by a government official. However, according to several local NGOs, police are alleged to control many, if not most, of the saunas, motels and massage parlors in Baku and the regions where prostitution and possibly trafficking occurs. We have no evidence of official investment or direct involvement in these businesses. One NGO provided details from alleged victims of trafficking who were taken by law enforcement officials to an undisclosed location for sexual exploitation over the course of several months before being released. Their families were allegedly threatened by police not to press charges. Another instance involved a woman taken to a massage parlor in Baku by a police officer where she was sexually exploited. The woman claimed that this establishment was either owned or controlled by the local police. The GOAJ reported that investigations on law enforcement officials are conducted internally by the MIA itself and by the Ministry of National Security. No details were provided as to how these investigations are conducted and by whom. It is highly unlikely that no government official is involved in TIP considering the current environment of corruption and instances of police corruption in other areas. The GOAJ reported that the 2007 case involving several airport officials accused of trafficking was closed. The result of the investigation and court case revealed that one official was convicted of treason. The GOAJ explained that the media had incorrectly reported this case in the news and they claim the case involved only one official who was involved with treason. Regarding the case of the deputy police chief alleged to be involved with trafficking; a respected NGO conducted an independent investigation and concluded that there was no trafficking. According to the GOAJ, this case was investigated and no police involvement in any criminal activity was discovered. The case is still in court proceedings. ¶J. As mentioned above, there have been no criminal cases of government officials involved in trafficking for 2008. ¶K. Prostitution is illegal in Azerbaijan. The activities of a prostitute, brothel owner/operator, pimp, and enforcer are all criminalized and the laws are enforced. The actions of clients are not criminalized. ¶L. This paragraph does not apply to Azerbaijan. ¶M. There is no evidence of child sex tourism in Azerbaijan. ¶6. (SBU)PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS ¶A. The Law on Trafficking passed in 2005 provides for relief from deportation for victims for up to one year. If a victim cooperates in the investigation, the victim is entitled to stay until the court case is completed. A victim can also apply to the relevant government authorities for immigrant status. ¶B. In October 2006, the GOAJ opened a permanent shelter for TIP Victims which is now fully renovated and operational. The shelter has the capacity to handle 45 people at one time and provides access to legal, medical, and psychological services for TIP victims. Families of underage TIP victims can also be housed in the shelter. Victims are allowed to stay in the shelter for an initial 30 days and may reapply to the shelter director for additional one month periods. The shelter is run by a local NGO closely associated with the GOAJ and which primarily receives funding from the GOAJ. There are limited medical facilities on site but the shelter has an agreement with a nearby hospital to treat victims in need of medical attention. The GOAJ also arranges legal, medical and psychological assistance to victims if the victim requests it. Local NGOs report that many victims prefer to seek shelter through friends or other NGOs that are viewed as more independent from the GOAJ. There are no exact numbers or data to show the extent of this housing method. In February, 2008, the GOAJ also opened a national TIP hotline that is funded by the GOAJ and run by a local NGO. The hotline is located in a building that is still under renovation; frequent power failures, inadequate heat for operators and construction noise are problems that plague this hotline. The GOAJ, in cooperation with the IOM TIP advisor, created a posteradvertising the hotline number and distributed to NGOs and government agencies working on TIP. C.The GOAJ has created a trafficking victims fund through the Ministry of Social Protection and Labor and money is also received from the Refugee and Internally Displaced Persons State Committee to assist with food and clothing. According to the GOAJ, trafficking victims receive a one time payment equivalent to $40 for relocation assistance. As stated above, the GOAJ provides funding to the NGOs that operate the shelter and hotline. The GOAJ provides trafficking victims with access to legal, medical, and psychological services although there currently does not appear to be an effective referral mechanism process in place. The GOAJ recently created a grant program for NGOs working on TIP however it is not widely advertised and only one NGO has applied and was refused the grant. It is implemented by the MIA however funding for this grant program is not fixed from year to year. ¶D. The GOAJ assists foreign trafficking victims by allowing them to remain in Azerbaijan for one year before deportation. ¶E. According to the NAP, the GOAJ is responsible for rehabilitating TIP victims. Actual efforts in this area remain low. Despite a requirement in the previous NAP to open rehabilitation assistance centers throughout Azerbaijan, none have been opened and funding for these centers is doubtful. One assistance center was opened in Baku last year but is not operational due to lack of funding and training. There are no long term housing or living assistance benefits for TIP victims. ¶F. The new NAP includes guidelines on the creation of a new national referral mechanism. However, this NRM remains in draft form and is scheduled to be approved by the cabinet of ministers no later than the beginning of April according to the NAP legislation. Most victims are identified by GOAJ law enforcement officials who then refer them to the government shelter. There does not appear to be a formal referral process involving victims being referred by the GOAJ to NGOs. ¶G. The GOAJ identified 78 trafficking victims for 2008. Of these, 52 were referred by law enforcement officials to the government shelter. The average length of stay was two weeks. No victims were referred by social services officials. NGOs identified and referred three victims to the government shelter. According to one NGO it is estimated that 40 TIP victims were identified and under the care of local NGOs. ¶H. There is no formal system of proactively identifying victims of trafficking among high-risk persons by government officials. ¶I. The Embassy has received no reports of trafficking victims being jailed. The GOAJ reported that former victims of trafficking have been convicted for involving others in prostitution, but we have no evidence that victims of trafficking have been prosecuted for violations of the law because of their actions while being trafficked. ¶J. The GOAJ encourages victims to assist in the investigation and prosecution of traffickers. Exact figures on the number of victims who assisted the GOAJ are not known. The TIP law permits a victim to gain employment elsewhere if he or she is a witness in a case against a trafficker; it also permits a victim to remain in the country if he or she wishes. Trafficking victims rarely file civil suits or seek legal action against the traffickers, but there are no legal restrictions on their ability to do so. There are no restrictions on a witness' actions during a court case. According to a report from a local NGO, 27 of the 40 victims of human trafficking which are under protection of NGOs filed a civil claim for restitution. The minimum amount seized from the traffickers was $2500 and the maximum amount was $13000. ¶K. In 2008, the GOAJ reported that the MIA conducted TIP-related training for employees of the Police Academy, the Ministry of Justice's Legal Education Center, and the Prosecutor General's Office's Education Center. Under the GOAJ's TIP legislation, embassies and consulates are instructed to provide quickly the necessary documentation for victims abroad to return to Azerbaijan. There were no instances of embassies or consulates providing assistance to trafficking victims during the reporting period. ¶L. The GOAJ provides medical assistance and shelter to repatriated victims at the TIP victims' assistance shelter. Victims of trafficking are entitled to financial compensation under the TIP law. ¶M. IOM conducts substantive research on the trafficking problem in Azerbaijan and also works directly with victims although the lack of a dedicated staff member to TIP has hindered IOM's ability to address this issue. The USG, IOM, ILO and OSCE provide guidance and conduct anti-TIP programs. ILO organized a workshop regarding drafting and implementing a national action plan that was attended by local NGOs, IOs and GOAJ officials from the relevant agencies including the national coordinator for the fight against TIP. ILO has also created a steering committee for their Anti-TIP program consisting of members from these same organizations. There are a number of domestic NGOs that also deal with the problem of trafficking, including Clean World, the Women's Crisis Center, the Center for Legal Assistance to Migrants, Symmetry, the Forum of Azerbaijan NGOs on Migration (FANGOM, a network of 35 NGOs),and the Azerbaijan Children's Union. There are also several regional NGOs that concentrate on trafficking programming. These NGOs serve primarily as contact points for at-risk populations and engage in some information campaigns about the dangers of trafficking. Two of these organizations also informally shelter local and foreign trafficking victims. The Center for Legal Assistance to Migrants provides free legal services to trafficking victims and works with other NGOs to coordinate services. The Women's Crisis Center operates a crisis hotline and provides free legal, psychological, and medical services. 7.(SBU)PREVENTION ¶A. In 2008 the GOAJ, together with over 30 NGOs dealing with trafficking, conducted seminars in high schools and higher education institutions in 70 cities and regions throughout the country to examine the causes and conditions of trafficking crimes and to raise awareness among the youth, the local executive authorities, municipalities and local police officers of these regions. The GOAJ also conducted an advertising campaign, working with both newspapers and television stations to raise awareness of the issue among the general public. A series of informative articles on TIP were printed in Azerbaijan, People and Echo newspapers and several television channels (AzTV, Lider TV, ITV, Khazar TV, ATV, ANS TV) have shown short documentaries on TIP and anti-TIP officials and local NGOs have conducted several interviews on talk shows. The television channels AzTV and ITV have aired public service announcements on the topic of prevention of human trafficking and the Committee on Family, Women and Children Affairs funded and produced a documentary called Protect me that aired on several television stations. ¶B. The GOAJ does not actively monitor immigration and emigration patterns for evidence of trafficking. The State Migration Service is responsible for tracking and issuing work permits issued to foreigners. However, there is no separate department within this agency trained in identifying trafficking victims. ¶C. The GOAJ coordinates communication between various government bodies and international institutions. The multi-agency task force is headed by the National TIP Coordinator, who is also the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs. The task force is composed of department heads from the Ministries of Justice, National Security, Labor and Social Welfare, Youth and Sport, Culture and Tourism, Economic Development, and Health, as well as the Prosecutor General's Office, the President's Office, the State Border Service, and the State Customs Committee. The National Coordinator serves as the single point of contact for anti-TIP efforts. ¶D. In February 2009, the GOAJ adopted an updated National Action Plan (NAP) that will cover the period from 2009 to 2013. This plan was developed in close coordination with international organizations and NGOs. Several roundtables were held by the GOAJ that involved representatives from IOs, embassies, NGOs and the media and the GOAJ incorporated many of the suggestions provided by these organizations into the final legislation. Most NGOs and IOs agreed that the relationship with the GOAJ was much more cooperative in comparison to previous years. The NAP is already in effect and will be implemented by the Cabinet of Ministers and coordinated by the national coordinator at the MIA. The GOAJ takes the lead on Anti-TIP efforts. However, relations with NGOs, IOs and other civil society organizations are mixed. The GOAJ has shown a willingness to cooperate on training programs with IO's and the USG as well as providing access to statistical data. However, access to Anti-TIP staff and detailed information on individual cases is difficult. Meetings with Anti-TIP unit staff require written approval from the national coordinator and despite promises to provide information on individual trafficking investigations none have been provided as of the date of this report. The GOAJ claims to work with over 30 NGOs and to have organized a meeting in April 2007 with 21 NGOs working on TIP in Azerbaijan. However, local NGOs and IOs have stated that they often are not included in GOAJ decisions nor are their suggestions elicited by the GOAJ. There is the belief among domestic NGOs and IOs that the government cooperates more with friendly NGOs and keeps at a distance those they consider to be opposition organizations. There was a credible report of the GOAJ refusing to attend TIP training because one of the presenters was considered to be a member of such an opposition organization. ¶E. The GOAJ has attempted to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts through a combination of law enforcement and improved social programs for unemployed and low-income groups. The GOAJ has targeted brothels, hotels and saunas for sting operations to identify and arrest those involved in prostitution or other illegal sexual activities. The GOAJ also passed several laws on social assistance and poverty reduction with the aim of reducing the likelihood of involvement in this field by vulnerable groups. ¶F. The GOAJ has taken no specific steps to reduce participation in international child sex tourism by nationals of Azerbaijan. DERSE