2007 Trafficking in Persons Report - Center for Women Policy Studies

K Y R G Y Z R E P U B L I C / L A O S
132
KYRGYZ REPUBLIC (Tier 2)
The Kyrgyz Republic is a source, transit, and
destination country for men and women from
Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, South Asian
countries, and from within the Kyrgyz Republic,
trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and
commercial sexual exploitation. Men and women
are trafficked to Kazakhstan for forced labor in
the agricultural sector and as domestic servants, to
Russia for forced work in construction, and to the
People’s Republic of China (P.R.C.) for bonded
labor. Kyrgyz and foreign women are trafficked to
the United Arab Emirates, P.R.C., Kazakhstan, South
Korea, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Thailand, Germany,
and Syria for sexual exploitation.
The Government of the Kyrgyz Republic does not
fully comply with the minimum standards for the
elimination of trafficking; however, it is making
significant efforts to do so. Concerns remained that
corruption among law enforcement and judicial
bodies protected traffickers from punishment. In
September 2006, the president signed a witness
protection law that is expected to increase victims’
incentives to testify against their traffickers. The
government should increase the amount of trafficking
sensitivity training provided to police, prosecutors,
and judges; improve methods for consulates and
domestic law enforcement centers to verify citizenship
of Kyrgyz nationals to ensure the fast repatriation
of Kyrgyz victims trafficked abroad; and increase
cooperation with key destination countries in order
to provide adequate treatment of identified Kyrgyz
victims. The government should also make efforts to
improve its statistics and data collection system.
Prosecution
The Kyrgyz government demonstrated limited law
enforcement efforts during the reporting period. A
2005 law on Prevention and Combating Trafficking
in Persons criminalizes both sexual exploitation
and forced labor; prescribed penalties range from
three to 20 years’ imprisonment, which are sufficiently
stringent and commensurate with prescribed
penalties for other grave crimes, such as rape. In
2006, the government conducted 39 investigations,
up from 24 in 2005. The government provided no
data on trafficking prosecutions and convictions or
the sentences given to convicted traffickers in 2006.
Protection
The government again demonstrated limited progress
in its victim assistance efforts during the reporting
period. The government continued to provide
space for three shelters run by anti-trafficking
NGOs, although it provided no direct funding for
services and medical assistance. Law enforcement
continued to increase victim referrals to IOM and
NGOs in 2006. While Kyrgyz consulates assisted
56 Kyrgyz victims trafficked abroad with identification
and travel documents, limited resources and
infrastructure often unnecessarily prolonged the
repatriation process. Victims are encouraged to
participate in trafficking investigations and prosecutions.
The government amended its law in 2006
to ensure that victims who cooperate with law
enforcement are not penalized. Law enforcement
officials in several regions of the country received
NGO training on the proper treatment of victims.
Prevention
Kyrgyzstan demonstrated limited progress in its
trafficking prevention efforts. In April 2006, the
government provided space in a government buildings
for seven regional offices of the “189” hotline,
an information source for Kyrgyz citizens to
determine the legitimacy of job offers from abroad.
State-controlled television and print media showcased
trafficking issues throughout the reporting
period. The government displayed NGO-produced
posters in public spaces, including local bus and
transportation centers.
LAOS (Tier 2)
Laos is primarily a source country for men, women,
and children trafficked for the purposes of forced
labor and commercial sexual exploitation. Some
Lao migrate to neighboring countries in search of
better economic opportunities but are subjected
to conditions of forced or bonded labor or forced
prostitution after arrival in these countries. Some of
these trafficking victims are deceived by recruiters
or employers about the terms and conditions of
their employment in the destination country. Lao
women and children become victims of trafficking
in Thailand, in domestic servitude, forced labor
in factories, and for commercial sexual exploitation,
while men more often fall victim to forced
labor in factories or in the fishing industry. There is
some internal sex trafficking in Laos, primarily of
women and girls from rural areas to large cities or
border areas. To a lesser extent, Laos is a destination
country for women trafficked from Vietnam and the
People’s Republic of China, for sexual exploitation.
Laos serves as a transit country in a small number
of cases with Chinese and Burmese women and
girls transiting Laos to Thailand.