Wikileaks - LVII

"54634","2/28/2006 13:38","06ANKARA991","Embassy Ankara","UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY","06SECSTATE3836","VZCZCXYZ0008
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #0991/01 0591338
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 281338Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3568
INFO RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ALMATY PRIORITY 2145
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT PRIORITY 1850
RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU PRIORITY 1339
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK PRIORITY 0323
RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST PRIORITY 0834
RUEHCH/AMEMBASSY CHISINAU PRIORITY 0370
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY 0022
RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KIEV PRIORITY 0692
RUEHSK/AMEMBASSY MINSK PRIORITY 0363
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 5357
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT PRIORITY 0693
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI PRIORITY 2991
RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN PRIORITY 1203
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHDC PRIORITY","UNCLAS ANKARA 000991

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP (JENNIFER DONNELLY), G, INL, DRL, PRM
DEPARTMENT FOR IWI, EUR/SE, EUR/PGI
DEPARTMENT FOR USAID

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM, PHUM, KWMN, ELAB, SMIG, ASEC, KFRD, PREF, TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: SIXTH ANNUAL TIP REPORT: PROTECTION AND
ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS

REF: SECSTATE 03836

1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.

2. (U) Post\'s responses are keyed to questions in Reftel A. This is part 3 of 3 (septel).

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Protection and Assistance to Victims
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A. (U) In 2005, the GoT issued eight humanitarian visas to allow victims to remain in the country for rehabilitation, medical care, and legal assistance. The humanitarian visas carry a six-month residence permit and the option to extend for one additional month. Most victims, however, chose to return to their country of origin. Victims were not required to pay normal departure fees or fines and the GoT did not take steps to bar re-entry to Turkey. Foreign women detained for illegal sex work are routinely screened for sexually-transmitted diseases. Victims of trafficking, however, are given the choice to seek free psychological and medical care, coordinated by HRDF, FWS and/or IOM, at any point after they are referred to the NGOs. Once in the shelter, victims may also seek legal services. The Istanbul shelter, run by HRDF, housed and assisted 129 VOTs from March 2005 through mid-February 2006. The Ankara shelter, run by FWS opened in October 2005. It houed and assisted 5 VOTs through mid-February 2006.

B. (U) The Istanbul municipality directly finances rent and overhead costs for the Istanbul shelter. The Ankara municipality completely refurbished and furnished (from all new appliances, to computers, to bed linens) two townhouses for use as the Ankara shelter. The municipality supplies heating and water, as well as internet and cable TV hookup. HRDF was allocated 150,000 YTL in October 2005 from the Prime Ministry Social Solidarity Fund to help cover the Istanbul shelter expenses. FWS will submit a project in March to secure the same funding.

C. (U) There is a screening and referral process in place to transfer victims to NGO shelters in Istanbul and Ankara. According to IOM, the screening and referral process works well for identified VOTs.

D. (U) The rights of VOTs are respected once they are identified as victims. IOM reported that in 2005, 249 victims were identified outside Turkey. This would indicate that either the identification process needs to be refined or that the victims were not willing to give statements identifying them as victims while in Turkey. The GoT, in signing protocols with Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova this year, demonstrated commitment to working with source countries to better cooperate in identifying VOTs.

E. (U) Humanitarian visas, residency permits, and the two shelters for VOTs have allowed victims to seek legal services. VOTs are encouraged to assist in the investigation and prosecution of trafficking on a strictly voluntar basis. Victims have begun to cooperate with police to institute action against their traffickers. A VOT who is in the Ankara shelter has begun proceedings against her trafficker in the Nevsehir region. The Ankara Bar Association is representing her free of charge. The case continues. There are provisions in the new Turkish Penal Code for victim restitution in civil court. To date, no VOT has filed such a suit. There is no impediment to VOT access to legal redress.

F. (U) We have no evidence that the GoT provides protection beyond the Istanbul and Ankara shelters, to victims or witnesses of any crimes, including trafficking in persons. Once a VOT is placed in a shelter, the victim is part of an international referral mechanism for rehabilitation and reintegration. Vocational training is available through this mechanism in source countries. FWS offers computer courses to victims at the Ankara shelter who express interest. Statistics show that the majority of the victims are between the ages of 18-24; there are few identified VOTs under the age of 18. To date underage identified victims are placed in one of the two shelters; there are no separate foster-care or juvenile justice detention centers for victims of trafficking.

G. (SBU) See para G in Investigation and Prosecution section. We have no evidence there is any training on the special needs of trafficked children, though the Public Order Department gives limited training on child pornography. All Turkish embassies and consulates in source countries distribute passport inserts and information regarding the 157 victim hotline and counter-trafficking measures in Turkey.

H. (U) We have no evidence that Turkey qualifies as a significant source country. The GoT, however, provides assistance (medical aid, shelter and financial help) to internally trafficked victims.

I. (U) The International Organization for Migration works with trafficking victims in Turkey and in the majority of source countries. Through partnerships with IOM and the GoT, the HRDF and FWS coordinate shelter, medical services, psychological and legal counseling, and repatriation services in both Turkey and the source country. IOM, HRDF and FWS continue to laud the cooperation and support they receive from the GoT. Marielle Sander-Lindstrom, Chief of Mission of IOM Turkey, said that IOM enjoys significant support from the large municipalities in Turkey, as well as with security authorities nationwide.
WILSON