Ministry of Internal Affairs actively continues the fight against human trafficking with international support and conducts various activities in this direction.
On the basis of the order of the President of Georgia issues on March 15, 2013 Georgian government has elaborated “2013-2014 National Action Plan for the Fight against Human Trafficking”. In the process of elaboration governmental as well as non-governmental organizations, members of Parliament, representatives of US Embassy were involved. Action plan includes four principles: prevention, protection, partnership and legal persecution.
In connection with the fight against human trafficking Georgian concluded international agreements with 22 countries: Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Estonia, France, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Poland, Poland, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, Great Brittan and Uzbekistan.
On January 24, 2014 “memorandum of understanding on co-operation (including trafficking, drug related crime and cybercrime) in the sphere of the fight against organized crime” between the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and National Crime Agency of Great Brittan was signed.
Along with International Organization for Migration (IOM), Ministry of Internal Affairs is implementing “Capacity Building for identification of Human Trafficking victims in Ajara and Kvemo Kartli regiona 2013-2014” project, which is funded by United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. Within the frames of the project group of specialists was created in Ajara region, envisaging co-operation between 7 active investigators, 5 operative workers from prosecutor’s office in the field of fight against human trafficking. Group of specialists expose the crime related to trafficking, conduct investigation effectively and legal persecution of responsible persons.
From April 29, 2014 till May 2training was held for investigators and representatives of prosecutor’s office in Batumi. Such trainings are held on the regular basis for the employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In order to raise the awareness among society radio show “In Frames of Law” was dedicated to the issues of human trafficking.
In 2013 working group was founded which was assigned to study the acting legislation in the angle of human trafficking and to redress the flaws of legislation. Changes were drafted for the amendment of articles on human trafficking which were enacted in June of 2014.
Council of Justice published guiding instructions, enabling investigators and prosecutor’s office representatives to identify trafficking victims and qualify the cases of trafficking under the relevant article. Instruction is making special emphasis on such issues as: judicial aspects of trafficking, issues connected with trafficking in the Criminal Code, standards of investigation of trafficking cases, standards for interrogation of trafficking victims and etc. Instructions were approved in February of 2014.
