Cyprus meets trafficking standards, US State Department report

The Government of the Republic of Cyprus fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, the State Department said in its report regarding "In Persons Trafficking".

In its report the State Department said that "the government continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period."

"Therefore, Cyprus remained on Tier 1. These efforts included convicting more traffickers, and for the first time convicting a perpetrator for receiving services from a victim of trafficking," the report reads.

It is noted that Tier 1, in which the Republic of Cyprus is in terms of Trafficking, meets the US standards, which are not necessarily free from human trafficking, but are considered to be fully complied with the law for the protection of victims of trafficking, but also for its elimination. There are still 29 countries in Tier 1 among Cyprus included France, the UK, the USA, Canada and Germany.

According to State Department’s Report the government slightly increased prevention efforts. The Multidisciplinary Coordinating Group (MCG) to combat trafficking, composed of relevant government agencies and NGOs, implemented and monitored anti-trafficking efforts; the MCG met three times compared to twice in 2022.

"The government drafted and adopted the 2023-2026 NAP. The MCG continued to conduct awareness campaigns targeting victims and potential victims through flyers and posters written in 10 languages," the report notes.

The State Department's report describes a completely different situation for the area "administered by Turkish Cypriots", as it refers to the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus, noting that the United States does not recognize the so called “trnc", as the pseudostate calls itself, nor does any other country except Turkey.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

The report says that in March 2020, the so called “parliament” amended the "criminal code” to include trafficking.

"Turkish Cypriot representatives did not investigate, prosecute, or convict any traffickers in 2023. Turkish Cypriot representatives did not identify any trafficking victims and provided no victim protection, including shelter, psycho-social support, and financial or legal assistance. Turkish Cypriot representatives did not allocate funding or implement prevention efforts to combat trafficking," it adds.

According to the report "Turkish Cypriot representatives confiscated passports of foreign national women working in nightclubs and issued them hostess visas upon entry into the area administered by Turkish Cypriots. Turkish Cypriot representatives did not permit women to change employers once under contract with a nightclub and routinely deported victims who voiced discontent about their treatment."

It says that the Turkish occupied areas "deported 805 women after curtailing their contracts (11 in 2022)."

The “law” prohibited living off the earnings of “prostitution” or encouraging “prostitution”, but nightclub bodyguards accompanied female nightclub employees to their weekly health checks for sexually transmitted infections, ensuring the women did not share details about potential exploitation in commercial sex with police or doctors to facilitate continued illegal activity.

"Turkish Cypriot representatives reported permit holders came from Belarus, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Morocco, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan," it continues.

As noted, the Turkish occupied areas "did not have a NAP, is mentioned and did not conduct any awareness campaigns or research on trafficking. Turkish Cypriot representatives did not enforce labor “laws,” and observers reported Turkish Cypriot representatives made little effort to investigate employers and recruitment agencies charging recruitment fees, confiscating passports, or withholding salaries, which were common practices."

"As reported over the past five years, human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots. Traffickers exploit women from Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and Africa in sex trafficking in nightclubs licensed and regulated by Turkish Cypriot representatives," it is added.