Human trafficking cases now to be handled by justice ministry

The handling of human trafficking cases will be taken away from the deputy migration ministry and given to the justice ministry as a coordinator, following the uproar caused by a Channel 4 video that highlighted the sexual harassment of British women seeking work in Ayia Napa.

The issue was discussed on Monday by the House human rights committee, which determined shortcomings in the handling of human trafficking cases.

MP Irene Charalambides said she had been in contact with the justice minister after the video was released.

She said minister Costas Fitiris acknowledged this was an organised crime issue and expressed his willingness for human trafficking to be handled by his ministry.

Disy MP Rita Superman had already prepared a bill for human trafficking cases to be transferred the soonest possible to the justice ministry in cooperation with the deputy migration ministry.

“I believe that this decision will open a new era regarding the issue of human trafficking,” Charalambides said.

She added however that political will was necessary and the justice ministry needed to be appropriately staffed for the best results.

Charalambides said all those involved should be reactivated, including NGOs.

Deputy Migration Minister Nikolas Ioannides said the Constitution included a special section on human trafficking, and that as a state Cyprus had human rights at its core.

Ioannides said human trafficking was initially the responsibility of the interior ministry and last year there were discussions about whether it should be transferred to the justice ministry, however the responsibility was by law that of the deputy migration ministry.

“We tried to the best of our ability to carry out this mission,” Ioannides said.

On transferring the responsibility to the justice ministry, Ioannides expressed certainty that “a very good job will be done, as the experience is there”.

MPs and organisations supported giving the issue of human trafficking to the justice ministry.

Superman said human trafficking was not a migration issue, but the violation of human rights and organised crime, a position Diko MP Christos Senekis also expressed.

Akel MP Giorgos Koukoumas said human trafficking was a modern form of slavery, adding that to a great extent the state’s strategy to address this issue was ineffective.

Independent MP Alexandra Attalides said human trafficking was a multifaceted issue, which included the protection of the victims and their dependence on their employers that facilitated exploitation.

“Active locating, immediate support, housing, health and help, true prosecutions and convictions, property confiscation are all necessary, as the EU is calling for,” Attalides said.

She added that “a state that does not effectively exert control is at risk of becoming part of the problem“.

It is expected that a bill will be tabled at the next House plenum.