To strengthen the fight against people trafficking

Baku. Sixty-six cases of people trafficking were
registered last year, said Mehriban 
Zeynalova, the head of the public association "Temiz Dunya".
According to her, over three months of this year 10 facts of people trafficking
were revealed. During a year 175 potential victims have been rescued, and they
helped. The main reasons why people become victims of traffickers are the
desire to make money, legal ignorance and naivety, says Zeynalova.  Over the last seven years, the situation with
human trafficking in Azerbaijan has changed: 
decreased number of  those who
wants to "earn a living abroad." At the same time,  there are facts of  human trafficking in the face of women,
formally married to a  foreigner and who
had gone to him.

There are problems in the rehabilitation
of the victims. The main problem is that families often do not want to forgive
and accept stumbled woman, believing her guilty of the trouble. In addition
victims need psychological assistance and rehabilitation in the community,
which does not take enough to take measures for the integration of the victims.
Currently, there are only four shelters with the goal of rehabilitation. One of
them belongs to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the other three belong to
NGOs.

Commenting on criticism of the authorities
of Azerbaijan, in the future report of the 
U.S.  State Department, Zeynalova
noted that in Azerbaijan, in comparison with other countries of the CIS, there
are more facts  of trafficking. However,
the penalty for these crimes is softer. Often, they work only a suspended
sentence. It is necessary to strengthen the punishment, she said.  The head of the Women's Crisis Center,
Matanat Azizli,  called timely  the assessment of the U.S. State Department
on trafficking in Azerbaijan. In 2012 the Center led by her revealed 16 facts
of  trafficking. However, the organizers
of these crimes often go unpunished, and only the perpetrator are jailed.  

For this reason, the State Department
estimates are founded.  In her opinion,
Azerbaijan has turned from the transit country into a country of destination,
and the flow of petrodollars promotes it. Soon the summer season begins, and
women from different countries will be brought in Azerbaijan for sexual
services.

The report of the organization QRETA,
fighting human trafficking, Azerbaijan has also been criticized. "It
appears that this criticism has forced the authorities to hold a conference on
April 30 with the participation of NGOs on the issue of people trafficking,
said Matanat Azizli.