UN releases report on human trafficking, Kosovo and Albania at second level

The report divides countries to three levels. The first level includes countries and territories whose governments act in full compliance with the minimum standards required. At the second level, countries and territories -- whose governments do not fully comply with minimum standards -- but are making considerable efforts to achieve such a thing and the third level include countries that do not fully comply with minimum standards and are not trying to do so.

Albania and Kosovo continue to rank second level.

COMM SOVA

Like a year ago, the report stresses that the Kosovo government does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, but is making significant efforts for such a thing. The government demonstrated increased overall efforts compared to the previous reporting period, taking into account the impact of COVID-19 in its anti-trafficking capacity, so it remained at 2nd level, the report said.

These efforts, it further says, include prosecution and punishment of more traffickers and identifying more victims. The chief state prosecutor's office established local multidisciplinary teams to improve co-ordination for trafficking cases in three regions, and the government added funds for NGO-led housing.

The government organised a powerful awareness campaign and co-ordination bodies gathered and prepared quarterly reports. However, the government did not meet minimum standards in some core areas. The judges continued to utter mild penalties for traffickers, and the government did not approve the National Anti-trafficking Strategy and Action Plan 2020-2024.

Law enforcement organs continued to classify the forced demand of children by their parents as neglect or parental abuse instead of trafficking, and due to inadequate identification procedures for forced begging, authorities likely expelled some unidentified trafficking victims.

Prosecution

The report stresses that police, prosecutors and courts use different methods for counting cases of persecution, and this has led to unstable statistics.

Police investigated 17 new cases with 43 suspects, compared to 62 new cases in 2020. Police also investigated seven other suspects for “the use of sexual services by a trafficking victim”, compared to nine suspects in 2020. Authorities prosecuted 35 new cases of 60 defendants, compared to 20 new cases with 32 defendants in 2020.

The courts sentenced seven traffickers, compared to three in 2020. The judges continued to pronounce sentences under the minimum five-year-old margin of freedom. While a judge sentenced a five-year-old smuggler to a five-year release, four traffickers were sentenced to three years, one was sentenced to two parole years and a 300-euro fine.

The courts did not reduce the total number ofages, including trafficking cases, and 70 cases remained open in previous years.

Protecting the Victims and Prevention

The government, said the report, stepped up efforts to protect the victims. She identified 22 victims, compared to 17 in 2020. Of these, 19 were victims of sexual trafficking and three forced begging; 16 were girls, four women and two boys. One victim was from Albania.

Trafficking Account

Like the past years, the report stresses that human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Kosovo as well as abroad. Many victims of sexual trafficking in Kosovo are girls, although traffickers also force women from Albania, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and other European countries into sexual trafficking.

Traffickers recruit women and girls with promises of marriage or employment as dancers and singers and force victims into sexual trafficking at homes and private apartments, nightclubs and massage parlors. Children from Kosovo, Albania and other neighbouring countries are forced to beg within the country. Traffickers subject Kosovo citizens to sexual trafficking and forced labour across Europe. The report re-composes that marginalised Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities are vulnerable to forced begging and sex trafficking. The report also says that even LGBTQI+ community members, migrants, asylum seekers and refugees are endangered by traffickers.

The report recommends to the Kosovo government that it strongly investigate, prosecute and condemn traffickers, including collaborative officials, and punish the traffickers sentenced to prison, in accordance with established sentences.

CAPIRIA 

Albania's government, said the report, does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, but is making significant efforts to do so. It demonstrated increased overall efforts compared to the previous reporting period, taking into account the impact of COVID-19 in its anti-trafficking fight capacity, so Albania remained at the second level.

These efforts, it further said, included investigating more cases and prosecution and punishing many traffickers. The government identified more victims and added resources for shelters run by nongovernmental organisations.

The government approved the National Action Plan 2021-23 and shared resources for it, however, did not meet minimum standards in some key areas. The involvement of officials in trafficking crimes remained a concern, and the government reported no prosecution or conviction of officials, despite serious charges, while dismissing a police officer from his post.

The report notes that the government also lacks resources to treat vulnerable groups and long-term care, employment and other reintegration efforts for trafficking survivors.

Prosecution

State police, said the report, investigated 61 cases of 27 suspects suspected of trafficking in adults and 12 child trafficking suspects, compared to 31 cases of 32 suspects in 2020.

The Attorney General prosecuted 60 cases with 19 defendants (six defendants for trafficking in adults and 13 defendants for child trafficking), an increase compared to two cases with 12 defendants in 2020. Separately, the SPAK pursued two new issues and continued two cases of previous years.

The courts, the report notes, condemned 11 traffickers -- a significant increase compared to no sentences in 2020. All traffickers were sentenced to child trafficking. The judges sentenced five traffickers to eight to 25 years of freedom and two traffickers to between two and eight years. Four traffickers were sentenced on parole.

Protecting the Victims

The report stresses that the Albanian government stepped up efforts to protect the victims. The government and NGOs identified 154 potential victims and five victims, compared to 81 possible victims and five victims in 2020. Of this number, 61 were victims of sexual trafficking, 65 victims of forced labour and 33 victims of various kinds of exploitation; 99 were female and 60 males; 112 were children and 47 adults; and three were foreign victims, two from Romania and one from Serbia.

Trafficking Account

The report, similar to recent years, stresses that human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Albania, as well as abroad. They exploit Albanian women and children for sexual trafficking and forced labour within the country, especially during the tourist season, becoming false promises such as marriage or job offers.

Traffickers usually force children to beg or perform other types of forced labor, such as selling small items. They exploit Albanian children, mainly from Roma and Egyptian communities from different Balkan countries, for seasonal jobs and forced begging. Traffickers use Albanian victims for sexual trafficking in countries across Europe, especially in Kosovo, Greece, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Northern Macedonia, Norway, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Foreign victims from European countries, Gambia and the Philippines are exploited for sexual trafficking and forced labour in Albania.

Albanian immigrants seeking work in Western Europe are vulnerable to forced labour and forced criminality, especially in the United Kingdom. Experts report that disabled children are increasingly vulnerable.

In this year's report, it is called on Albania to work on the deep investigation, prosecution and condemnation of traffickers, preparing justice system carriers for dealing with human trafficking, and increasing efforts to prevent trafficking, protect victims and reintegration.