2007 Trafficking in Persons Report - Center for Women Policy Studies

U G A N D A
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complicit in trafficking. Finally, the Government of
Turkey should ensure judicial officials receive victim
identification and sensitivity training.
Prosecution
The Government of Turkey significantly advanced
its law enforcement efforts over this reporting period.
Article 80 of the penal code prohibits trafficking
for both sexual exploitation and forced labor.
The penalties prescribed for trafficking have been
increased to 8 to 12 years’ imprisonment, which
are sufficiently stringent and commensurate with
prescribed penalties for other grave crimes, such as
sexual assault. Turkish authorities conducted 422
investigations, a significant increase from 241 investigations
in 2005. The government prosecuted 192
suspects in 2006, up from 144 prosecuted in 2005.
Convictions were obtained against 36 traffickers in
2006, up from 29 convictions in 2005. Twenty-nine
traffickers received prison sentences ranging from
one month to six years; six traffickers only received
fines. One trafficker’s sentence was unconfirmed.
During the reporting period, the police continued
an internal anti-trafficking training program,
reaching 1,150 additional police officers. While the
government arrested some low-level officials for
trafficking, no officials were prosecuted or convicted
over the reporting period.
Protection
Turkey continued to improve its victim assistance
efforts over the reporting period. Turkish authorities
successfully implemented procedures to identify
trafficking victims among women in prostitution,
although there were reports that the government
continued to process some trafficking cases as voluntary
prostitution and illegal migration. Although
the government does not provide a government-run
shelter, it provided rent, utilities, and administrative
costs for two NGO-run trafficking shelters. Police
work closely with IOM to identify and refer victims
to trafficking shelters, ensuring that victims have
access to protection services. Foreign victims identified
by Turkish authorities may apply for humanitarian
visas and remain in Turkey for up to seven
months, although no visas were granted during
the reporting period. The government encourages
victims to participate in trafficking investigations
and prosecutions; however, this does not seem
to be systematically implemented. In July 2006,
a judge ordered a police-identified victim to be
deported because she had overstayed her visa. Turkey
promoted and advertised a government-run trafficking
hotline during the reporting period; 109 victims
were assisted due to calls to the hotline during the
reporting period, up from 52 victims in 2005.
Prevention
The government demonstrated strong prevention
efforts. In 2006, the government contributed
$100,000 to an international public awareness
campaign focused on the Black Sea region.
Authorities continued to distribute small passport
inserts to travelers entering the country at designated
ports-of-entry, although there was concern
about whether this method of informing potential
victims was the most effective. Turkish embassies
also continued to hand out trafficking awareness
inserts to visa applicants in source countries.
UGANDA (Tier 2)
Uganda is a source, transit, and destination country
for men, women, and children trafficked for the
purpposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation.
Until August 2006, the terrorist rebel organization,
Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), abducted children and
adults in northern Uganda to serve as soldiers, sex
slaves, and porters. Ugandan children are trafficked
internally, as well as to the United Arab Emirates
and Saudi Arabia, for commercial sexual exploitation.
Karamojong women and children are sold in
cattle markets or by intermediaries and forced into
situations of domestic servitude, sexual exploitation,
herding, and begging. Importers traffic Pakistani,
Indian, and Chinese workers to Uganda and trafficking
networks bring in Indian women for sexual
exploitation.
The Government of Uganda does not fully comply
with the minimum standards for the elimination of
trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts
to do so. To improve its anti-trafficking efforts, the
government should make a greater effort to convict
and punish charged traffickers; pass and enact
its comprehensive trafficking bill; and develop a
mechanism for providing protective services to all
types of trafficking victims.
Prosecution
The government’s anti-trafficking law enforcement
efforts increased over the reporting period, particularly
by apprehending suspected traffickers and investigating
cases. Ugandan law does not prohibit trafficking;
however, the government’s anti-trafficking working
group, with input from stakeholders, completed
drafting a comprehensive law in 2006. Existing laws
against slavery, forced and bonded labor, and procurement
for prostitution could be used to prosecute trafficking
offenses. In June, police arrested three Asians
and two Ugandans at the Uganda-Rwanda border for