VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHAK #0460/01 0600944
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 010944Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1151
INFO RUEAHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHDC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
UNCLAS ANKARA 000460
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, PRM
DEPARTMENT FOR IWI, EUR/SE, EUR/PGI
DEPARTMENT FOR USAID
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY 7TH ANNUAL TIP REPORT: PROTECTION AND
ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS
REF: 06 SECSTATE 202745
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.
2. (U) Post's responses are keyed to questions in Reftel A.
This is part 3 of 3 (septels).
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Protection and Assistance to Victims
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A. (U) The GOT assists victims by providing shelter and
access to legal, medical and psychological services. Since
2004, the GoT has issued 35 humanitarian visas to allow
victims to remain in the country for rehabilitation, medical
care, and legal assistance. The humanitarian visas carry a
six-month residence permit and the option to extend for one
additional month. Most victims, however, chose to return to
their country of origin. With or without a humanitarian
visa, identified victims were not required to pay normal
departure fees or fines and the GoT did not take steps to bar
re-entry to Turkey.
Foreign women detained for illegal sex work are routinely
screened for sexually-transmitted diseases. Victims of
trafficking, however, are given the choice to seek free
psychological and medical care, coordinated by Human
Resources Development Foundation (HRDF), Foreign Womens
Solidarity (FWS) and/organization Migration
(IO they are referred to tdlter, vPVOTs through
Ankara shelter, run Qssisted 98 VOTs
since )in October 2005.
B. (U) The Istabul municipality directly finances rent forQ
the Istanbul shelter. The Ankara municipality completely
refurbished and furnished (from all new appliances, to
computers, to bed linens) two townhouses for use as the
Ankara shelter. The municipality continues to supply heating
and water, as well as internet and cable TV hookup.
HRDF was allocated 150,000 YTL in October 2005 from the Prime
Ministry Social Solidarity Fund (the "Fund") to help cover
the Istanbul shelter expenses and is close to signing a
contract to receive follow-on money from the Fund through the
end of 2007. FWS was allocated 75,000 YTL from the Fund to
help cover the Ankara shelter expenses.
C. (U) There is a screening and referral process in place
to transfer victims to NGO shelters in Istanbul and Ankara.
According to IOM, the screening and referral process works
well for identified VOTs. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
provided (and IOM confirmed) the following details on how the
process works:
- in the province where the crime is committed, the
Foreigners Police, accompanied by a lawyer and a
psychologist, conduct an initial interview and pass the
information to the Security Directorate General Foreigners,
Border, Asylum Department Head's office;
- A decision is made in coordination with IOM and transfer
procedures to move the potential victim are conducted;
- A joint interview of the potential victim is conducted by
the expert police liaisons to the Ankara and Istanbul
shelters and representatives from IOM and HRDF (if near
Istanbul) or WSF (if near Ankara);
- After a determination is made that the potential victims is
a victim of human trafficking, the victim is placed at a
shelter.
D. (U) The rights of VOTs are respected once they are
identified as victims.
E. (U) Humanitarian visas, residency permits, and the two
shelters for VOTs have allowed victims to seek legal
services. VOTs are encouraged to assist in the investigation
and prosecution of trafficking on a strictly voluntary basis.
Victims have begun to cooperate with police to institute
action against their traffickers.
There are provisions in the new Turkish Penal Code for victim
restitution in civil court. To date, no VOT has filed such a
suit.
There is no impediment to VOT access to legal redress.
F. (U) We have no evidence that the GoT provides protection
beyond the Istanbul and Ankara shelters, to victims or
witnesses of any crimes, including trafficking in persons.
Once a VOT is placed in a shelter, the victim is part of an
international referral mechanism for rehabilitation and
reintegration. Vocational training is available through this
mechanism in source countries. FWS offers computer courses
to victims at the Ankara shelter who express interest.
Statistics show that the majority of the victims are between
the ages of 18-24; there are few identified VOTs under the
age of 18. To date underage identified victims are placed in
one of the two shelters; there are no separate foster-care or
juvenile justice detention centers for victims of trafficking.
G. (SBU) See para G in Investigation and Prosecution
section. We have no evidence there is any training on the
special needs of trafficked children, though the Public Order
Department gives limited training on child pornography. All
Turkish embassies and consulates in source countries
distribute passport inserts and information regarding the 157
victim hotline and counter-trafficking measures in Turkey.
H. (U) We have no evidence that Turkey qualifies as a
significant source country. The GoT, however, provides
assistance (medical aid, shelter and financial help) to
internally trafficked victims.
I. (U) The IOM works with trafficking victims in Turkey and
in the majority of source countries. Through partnerships
with IOM and the GoT, the HRDF and FWS coordinate shelter,
medical services, psychological and legal counseling, and
repatriation services in both Turkey and the source country.
IOM, HRDF and FWS continue to laud the cooperation and
support they receive from the GoT, particularly from law
enforcement.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON