Some lawmakers in North Cyprus are regular visitors to night clubs with trafficked African girls - United States Embassy
Some lawmakers in North Cyprus are regular visitors to night clubs with trafficked girls operating in the country, the Trafficking in Persons report for the TRNC published by the United States Embassy in Cyprus reveals.
In the report, it was stated that human trafficking was carried out in night clubs, and the importance of actively investigating, prosecuting and convicting traffickers.
Most of the women who are permitted to work in these night clubs come from Belarus, Moldova, Morocco, Russia and Ukraine, and some come from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Paraguay, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Observers suggested that some members of the "deputy" were among the regulars of night clubs.
The report say women who agreed with the nightclub were not allowed to relocate, and that 581 women who wanted to end their contract prematurely without any smuggling investigations were expelled by Turkish Cypriot authorities.
The “authorities” deported some women working in nightclubs (40 people in 2018) without seeking any smuggling investigations after seeking help with their complaints about working conditions.
Here is the report:
Northern Cyprus is ruled by Turkish Cypriots. The Turkish Cypriots declared the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) as an independent region in 1983. Only Turkey recognizes the TRNC.
The minimum standard required to prevent smuggling has not been met
If kktc could be officially evaluated in this report, it would be in section 3 of the ranking. The Turkish Cypriot authorities did not meet the minimum standards required to prevent smuggling, nor did they make any noticeable effort in this direction.
Nevertheless, with the amendment made in the TRNC Criminal Code to the 'Parliament' in March, smuggling was included in the law for the first time and it enacted the 2000 UN TIP protocol in April 2018. Turkish Cypriot authorities did not keep statistics of the activities carried out by the police in the fight against smuggling.
According to the "Night Clubs and Similar Entertainment Places Act No. 2000", night clubs can only provide dance performance and similar entertainment services; But the authorities rarely enforced this 'law'.
Observers reported that commercial sex and non-consensual prostitution events were common at these nightclubs. According to local press reports, police reported that the law enforced the law, including mandatory prostitution, from time to time, except for nightclubs. took place.
The Turkish Cypriot authorities sued a suspect for forcing two women into prostitution, and the two defendants were found guilty of 'encouraging and forcing a woman into prostitution'. Job 'law' practices are still insufficient, according to observers. high recruitment fees, passport seizures and salary cuts are widely applied.
Turkish Cypriot officials did not make serious efforts to punish intentionally fraudulent employment offers, excessive wages for immigration, or recruiters or brokers through job placement.
Shelter for victims lacks social, economic and psychological services
The region managed by Turkish Cypriots lacks providing shelter, social, economic and psychological services for victims. Turkish Cypriot authorities have not allocated any resources to combat human trafficking, the police have not been trained to recognize victims, and the authorities have not provided protection to victims.
The police handed over the passports of foreign national women working in the night club and issued an identity card to them;
The purpose of this process was said to protect themselves from the abuse of nightclub owners who confiscated their passports. Although women preferred to hold their passports, it was observed that the police persuaded women to give their passports so that they would not be deported.
Foreign victims who expressed their dissatisfaction with the treatment they received were regularly expelled.
It is said that the 'government' has been permitted to find new jobs and to be temporarily allocated by the police, as victims of trafficking, who testify against a former employer, but these women continued to reside in nightclubs, according to the expert report.
Instead of encouraging victims to assist in trafficking against human traffickers, the Turkish Cypriot authorities expelled all foreign victims.
Night clubs have the potential for sexual slavery
Between April 2019 and January 2020, a total of 942 people "waiters", "bartenders" and "work permits" to work in nightclubs and bars in the north (1605 in 2018) where kktc officials were present and have sexual slavery potential. It has been reported to be given for a period of 6 months. By January 2020, the number of women working under this leave was 310 (319 in March 2019). Nightclub owners, by recruiting university students, both bypassed the limit of the number of employees legally determined for each nightclub and prevented tax and supervision.
Some lawmakers are among the regulars of night clubs
Most of the women who are permitted to work come from Belarus, Moldova, Morocco, Russia and Ukraine, and some come from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Paraguay, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Observers suggested that some members of the "deputy" were among the regulars of night clubs.
The women who agreed with the nightclub were not allowed to relocate, and Turkish Cypriot authorities expelled 581 women who wanted to end their contract prematurely without any smuggling investigations.
The “authorities” expelled women working in nightclubs (40 people in 2018) without seeking any smuggling investigations after seeking help with their complaints about working conditions.
KKTC did not specify the number of workers who were allowed to work as a housekeeper (3,143 in 2018). Although the "law" prohibits living with prostitution and promoting prostitution, night-time security guards, accompanying women workers during weekly hospital visits to control sexually transmitted disease, allow women to continue their commercial activity with the police or doctors. make sure they do not share details about sexual exploitation.
The "law" on nightclubs prohibits foreign women from living in workplaces; however, most women reside in dormitories adjacent to nightclubs or accommodation set up by the nightclub, which is a common indicator of human trafficking.
Inspections focused on kitchen hygiene
The "Night Clubs Commission", which consists of "government officials" responsible for the functioning of the police and night clubs, prepared brochures containing employee rights and distributed them to foreign women upon entering the country. The "Night Clubs Commission" convened every month and made recommendations to the "Ministry of Interior" on business licenses, changes in employee quotas and the need for intervention in a particular organization. It was reported that the "Night Clubs Commission" examined about five night clubs every two weeks and investigated complaints; In practice, however, the inspections focused on the hygiene of the kitchens, and interviews with women working at nightclubs always took place in front of nightclub guards or staff, preventing potential trafficking victims from speaking freely.
No effort to reduce demand for commercial sex action
Turkish Cypriots have made no effort to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts. The "Social Services Department" in the "Ministry of Labor" continued to operate a hotline for victims of trafficking; however, the number of staff was insufficient and this line was not always functional. One expert reported that victims of smuggling were afraid to call the helpline because they believed they were connected to the authorities.
As reported in the last five years, human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in the KKTC. Human traffickers exploit sex trafficking in women from Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa at nightclubs licensed and run by Turkish Cypriot officials.
Night clubs provide a source of tax revenue for the management of Cyprus; Media reports in 2015 predicted that nightclub owners pay between 20 million and 30 million TL annually. This would be a prohibitive factor in increasing the political will to combat trafficking and create a conflict of interest.
In industry, construction, agriculture, housework, restaurant and retail sectors, men and women are exploited by forced labor. Human traffickers take control of forced labor by debt-based repression, threats of deportation, mobility restrictions and inhuman living and working conditions. Victims of labor trafficking come from Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia and South and Southeast Asia; Immigrants who move to the north of Cyprus after their work permits have expired in the Republic of Cyprus are particularly vulnerable to worker trafficking.
Roma children and seasonal Turkish workers and their families are also vulnerable to labor exploitation and human trafficking. Foreign university students, many of whom are hired with false scholarships, free housing and employment promises, are vulnerable to both sex and worker smuggling; Students, mostly from sub-Saharan African countries, who dropped out of school or started irregular jobs, are particularly vulnerable.
As in previous years, observers reported that some women, among whom some might be victims of trafficking, entered kktc on a three-month tourist or student visa and had commercial sex in their apartments in Northern Nicosia, Kyrenia and Famagusta. Immigrants, asylum seekers, LGBTI + people, refugees and their children are also at risk of sexual exploitation.
Recommendations for Turkish Cypriot officials
• Actively investigate, prosecute and sentence human traffickers and punish convicted traffickers with important prison sentences.
• Search for victims of trafficking, including in nightclubs and bars.
• Increase awareness among customers and the public about the power, fraud and pressure used to enforce transparency in the conduct of nightclubs and commercial sexy.
• Open a shelter and fund non-governmental organization care services to protect victims.
• Investigate, prosecute and sentence officials who are complicit in trafficking in human beings.
• Offer alternatives to victims of trafficking, other than deportation.
• Accept and take action against forced labor, including domestic workers.
Source: https://gazeddakibris.com/bazi-milletvekilleri-gece-kuluplerinin-mudavimleri-arasinda/
Most of the women who are permitted to work in these night clubs come from Belarus, Moldova, Morocco, Russia and Ukraine, and some come from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Paraguay, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Observers suggested that some members of the "deputy" were among the regulars of night clubs.
The report say women who agreed with the nightclub were not allowed to relocate, and that 581 women who wanted to end their contract prematurely without any smuggling investigations were expelled by Turkish Cypriot authorities.
The “authorities” deported some women working in nightclubs (40 people in 2018) without seeking any smuggling investigations after seeking help with their complaints about working conditions.
Here is the report:
Northern Cyprus is ruled by Turkish Cypriots. The Turkish Cypriots declared the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) as an independent region in 1983. Only Turkey recognizes the TRNC.
The minimum standard required to prevent smuggling has not been met
If kktc could be officially evaluated in this report, it would be in section 3 of the ranking. The Turkish Cypriot authorities did not meet the minimum standards required to prevent smuggling, nor did they make any noticeable effort in this direction.
Nevertheless, with the amendment made in the TRNC Criminal Code to the 'Parliament' in March, smuggling was included in the law for the first time and it enacted the 2000 UN TIP protocol in April 2018. Turkish Cypriot authorities did not keep statistics of the activities carried out by the police in the fight against smuggling.
According to the "Night Clubs and Similar Entertainment Places Act No. 2000", night clubs can only provide dance performance and similar entertainment services; But the authorities rarely enforced this 'law'.
Observers reported that commercial sex and non-consensual prostitution events were common at these nightclubs. According to local press reports, police reported that the law enforced the law, including mandatory prostitution, from time to time, except for nightclubs. took place.
The Turkish Cypriot authorities sued a suspect for forcing two women into prostitution, and the two defendants were found guilty of 'encouraging and forcing a woman into prostitution'. Job 'law' practices are still insufficient, according to observers. high recruitment fees, passport seizures and salary cuts are widely applied.
Turkish Cypriot officials did not make serious efforts to punish intentionally fraudulent employment offers, excessive wages for immigration, or recruiters or brokers through job placement.
Shelter for victims lacks social, economic and psychological services
The region managed by Turkish Cypriots lacks providing shelter, social, economic and psychological services for victims. Turkish Cypriot authorities have not allocated any resources to combat human trafficking, the police have not been trained to recognize victims, and the authorities have not provided protection to victims.
The police handed over the passports of foreign national women working in the night club and issued an identity card to them;
The purpose of this process was said to protect themselves from the abuse of nightclub owners who confiscated their passports. Although women preferred to hold their passports, it was observed that the police persuaded women to give their passports so that they would not be deported.
Foreign victims who expressed their dissatisfaction with the treatment they received were regularly expelled.
It is said that the 'government' has been permitted to find new jobs and to be temporarily allocated by the police, as victims of trafficking, who testify against a former employer, but these women continued to reside in nightclubs, according to the expert report.
Instead of encouraging victims to assist in trafficking against human traffickers, the Turkish Cypriot authorities expelled all foreign victims.
Night clubs have the potential for sexual slavery
Between April 2019 and January 2020, a total of 942 people "waiters", "bartenders" and "work permits" to work in nightclubs and bars in the north (1605 in 2018) where kktc officials were present and have sexual slavery potential. It has been reported to be given for a period of 6 months. By January 2020, the number of women working under this leave was 310 (319 in March 2019). Nightclub owners, by recruiting university students, both bypassed the limit of the number of employees legally determined for each nightclub and prevented tax and supervision.
Some lawmakers are among the regulars of night clubs
Most of the women who are permitted to work come from Belarus, Moldova, Morocco, Russia and Ukraine, and some come from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Paraguay, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Observers suggested that some members of the "deputy" were among the regulars of night clubs.
The women who agreed with the nightclub were not allowed to relocate, and Turkish Cypriot authorities expelled 581 women who wanted to end their contract prematurely without any smuggling investigations.
The “authorities” expelled women working in nightclubs (40 people in 2018) without seeking any smuggling investigations after seeking help with their complaints about working conditions.
KKTC did not specify the number of workers who were allowed to work as a housekeeper (3,143 in 2018). Although the "law" prohibits living with prostitution and promoting prostitution, night-time security guards, accompanying women workers during weekly hospital visits to control sexually transmitted disease, allow women to continue their commercial activity with the police or doctors. make sure they do not share details about sexual exploitation.
The "law" on nightclubs prohibits foreign women from living in workplaces; however, most women reside in dormitories adjacent to nightclubs or accommodation set up by the nightclub, which is a common indicator of human trafficking.
Inspections focused on kitchen hygiene
The "Night Clubs Commission", which consists of "government officials" responsible for the functioning of the police and night clubs, prepared brochures containing employee rights and distributed them to foreign women upon entering the country. The "Night Clubs Commission" convened every month and made recommendations to the "Ministry of Interior" on business licenses, changes in employee quotas and the need for intervention in a particular organization. It was reported that the "Night Clubs Commission" examined about five night clubs every two weeks and investigated complaints; In practice, however, the inspections focused on the hygiene of the kitchens, and interviews with women working at nightclubs always took place in front of nightclub guards or staff, preventing potential trafficking victims from speaking freely.
No effort to reduce demand for commercial sex action
Turkish Cypriots have made no effort to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts. The "Social Services Department" in the "Ministry of Labor" continued to operate a hotline for victims of trafficking; however, the number of staff was insufficient and this line was not always functional. One expert reported that victims of smuggling were afraid to call the helpline because they believed they were connected to the authorities.
As reported in the last five years, human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in the KKTC. Human traffickers exploit sex trafficking in women from Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa at nightclubs licensed and run by Turkish Cypriot officials.
Night clubs provide a source of tax revenue for the management of Cyprus; Media reports in 2015 predicted that nightclub owners pay between 20 million and 30 million TL annually. This would be a prohibitive factor in increasing the political will to combat trafficking and create a conflict of interest.
In industry, construction, agriculture, housework, restaurant and retail sectors, men and women are exploited by forced labor. Human traffickers take control of forced labor by debt-based repression, threats of deportation, mobility restrictions and inhuman living and working conditions. Victims of labor trafficking come from Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia and South and Southeast Asia; Immigrants who move to the north of Cyprus after their work permits have expired in the Republic of Cyprus are particularly vulnerable to worker trafficking.
Roma children and seasonal Turkish workers and their families are also vulnerable to labor exploitation and human trafficking. Foreign university students, many of whom are hired with false scholarships, free housing and employment promises, are vulnerable to both sex and worker smuggling; Students, mostly from sub-Saharan African countries, who dropped out of school or started irregular jobs, are particularly vulnerable.
As in previous years, observers reported that some women, among whom some might be victims of trafficking, entered kktc on a three-month tourist or student visa and had commercial sex in their apartments in Northern Nicosia, Kyrenia and Famagusta. Immigrants, asylum seekers, LGBTI + people, refugees and their children are also at risk of sexual exploitation.
Recommendations for Turkish Cypriot officials
• Actively investigate, prosecute and sentence human traffickers and punish convicted traffickers with important prison sentences.
• Search for victims of trafficking, including in nightclubs and bars.
• Increase awareness among customers and the public about the power, fraud and pressure used to enforce transparency in the conduct of nightclubs and commercial sexy.
• Open a shelter and fund non-governmental organization care services to protect victims.
• Investigate, prosecute and sentence officials who are complicit in trafficking in human beings.
• Offer alternatives to victims of trafficking, other than deportation.
• Accept and take action against forced labor, including domestic workers.
Source: https://gazeddakibris.com/bazi-milletvekilleri-gece-kuluplerinin-mudavimleri-arasinda/
Posts
No comments
Thanks for viewing, your comments are appreciated.
Disclaimer: Comments on this blog are NOT posted by Olomoinfo, Readers are SOLELY responsible for their comments.
Need to contact us for gossips, news reports, adverts or anything?
Email us on; olomoinfo@gmail.com