2007 Trafficking in Persons Report - Center for Women Policy Studies

AZERBAIJAN (Tier 2)
Azerbaijan is primarily a source and transit country
for men, women, and children trafficked for the
purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and
forced labor. Women from Azerbaijan are trafficked
to Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) for
purposes of sexual exploitation. Men are trafficked
to Russia for the purpose of forced labor. Men and
women are also trafficked to Iran, Pakistan, and
India for purposes of sexual exploitation and forced
labor. Azerbaijani children are trafficked to Turkey
for the purpose of sexual exploitation, and to Russia
for the purpose of forced labor. Reports of internal
trafficking also continued, including that of women
for sexual exploitation, men for forced labor in the
construction industry, and children for the purpose
of child begging. Azerbaijan serves as a transit
country for victims from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan,
and Moldova trafficked to Turkey and the U.A.E. for
sexual exploitation.
The Government of Azerbaijan does not fully
comply with the minimum standards for the
elimination of trafficking; however, it is making
significant efforts to do so. In October 2006, the
government opened and fully funded a shelter for
trafficking victims, and increased investigative and
victim identification training for law enforcement
officials. In 2006, the government also increased
investigations, prosecutions, and convictions of
traffickers, and removed its anti-trafficking unit
from within the Ministry of Internal Affairs’
Organized Crime Unit to become a new, standalone
unit. The government should develop and
implement a nation-wide victim referral mechanism
and ensure that a nationwide toll-free victims’
assistance hotline becomes operational. The government
should increase its trafficking prevention
efforts, as well as its efforts to investigate, prosecute,
convict, and sentence government officials complicit
in trafficking.
Prosecution
The government demonstrated improvement in its
law enforcement efforts. Azerbaijan’s 2005 Law on
the Fight Against Trafficking in Persons prohibits
both sexual exploitation and forced labor; punishment
prescribed by the law ranges from 5 to 15
years’ imprisonment and is sufficiently stringent
and commensurate with penalties for other grave
crimes, such as sexual assault. For the first time, in
2006 the Government of Azerbaijan prosecuted
and convicted traffickers under its new trafficking
in persons law. During 2006, authorities conducted
192 trafficking investigations, up from 160 investigations
conducted in 2005. Azerbaijan prosecuted
164 traffickers, up from 153 prosecutions in 2005.
In 2006, 155 traffickers were convicted, up from 93
convictions in 2005. Forty-eight of the 155 convicted
traffickers were sentenced to time in prison. The
remaining 107 traffickers were sentenced to hard
labor or community service, or received administrative
charges, fines, or suspended sentences.
The Special Anti-Trafficking Police Unit showed
progress, although the government should increase
its capacity to launch more aggressive trafficking
investigations. Concerns remain that low-level civil
servants and local law enforcement may be receiving
bribes to facilitate trafficking.
Protection
The Government of Azerbaijan demonstrated
progress in its efforts to protect and assist victims.
In October 2006, the government opened a longanticipated
shelter, which provides victims of
trafficking with short-term care and access to legal,
medical, and psychological services. Although all
identified victims were referred to the shelter, its
effectiveness was hampered by the lack of a formal
nationwide victim identification mechanism and a
nationwide toll-free trafficking in persons hotline;
from October 11 to the end of 2006, only four
victims were identified. The government should
develop and implement formal nation-wide victim
identification procedures, and ensure that the
nationwide toll-free hotline becomes functional.
In 2006, the Ministry of Interior conducted victim
identification and assistance training for NGOs,
employees of the Police Academy, the Ministry of
Justice’s Legal Education Center, and the Education
Center of the Prosecutor General’s Office. Victims
may apply for temporary residency permits for up
to one year, and are permitted to apply for permanent
residency status. If victims cooperate with law
enforcement, they are entitled to stay in Azerbaijan
until the completion of their court case. There is
concern that identified child trafficking victims may
not have received adequate assistance or care.
Prevention
Azerbaijan’s anti-trafficking prevention efforts
remained modest. The government periodically
monitors its anti-trafficking efforts and makes the
results public. In 2006, the government paid for
the printing and distribution of anti-trafficking
pamphlets. In 2006, the Ministry of Education
supported school information programs run by
domestic NGOs.
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