This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 000038 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TU BO MD KCRM PGOV BO MD KCRM PGOV KJUS
SUBJECT: ISTANBUL POLICE ON TIP AND MURDER OF BELARUSIAN 
WOMAN 
 
REF: A. MINSK 1721 
     ¶B. ANKARA 6865 
     ¶C. CHISINAU 1399 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: On December 27, poloff met with Osman 
Kaplan, Deputy Director of the Foreigners Unit of the 
Istanbul Police Department, to follow up on trafficking in 
persons issues raised during the visit of a Moldavan anti-TIP 
government delegation (ref B) and the murder of a Belarusian 
woman in Istanbul (ref c). Kaplan said there is a growing 
awareness about the TIP problem in Turkey, and that in 
November five traffickers were apprehended in Istanbul, of 
whom three are in jail.  He shared documents about the 
Belarusian case; four men have been arrested and jailed in 
connection with the death.  Kaplan clarified the different 
situations of women described as trafficked; some come 
voluntarily, and some are tricked; many are unwilling to 
testify against traffickers.  Kaplan complained that the 
Moldovan delegation accused the Turkish Police of cooperating 
with the traffickers, increasing tension in the meeting. End 
summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Poloff and pol specialist met December 27 with Osman 
Kaplan, Deputy Director of the Foreigners Unit of the 
Istanbul Police Department, to follow up on trafficking in 
persons issues raised during the visit of a Moldavan anti-TIP 
government delegation (ref B) and the murder of a Belarusian 
woman in Istanbul in the fall.  Kaplan underlined that he was 
unable to provide information to U.S. diplomats in Istanbul 
on cases involving nationals from third countries -- such as 
Moldova or Belarus -- without official permission from the 
Ankara Headquarters of the Foreigners Unit. However, Kaplan 
shared information both about the growing TIP problem in 
Turkey and the Belarusian case. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Kaplan said there is a growing awareness about the 
TIP problem in Turkey, adding that more serious measures have 
been taken to address TIP after the 2002 amendment to the 
Turkish Penal Code, which specified the definition of human 
trafficking. As an example, Kaplan confirmed that in November 
2004 five traffickers were apprehended and sent to court; 
three of the traffickers are already in jail. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Kaplan stressed that women who may come under the 
definition of trafficked come to Turkey for many different 
reasons.  Some come voluntarily to make money; a woman, for 
example, can make USD 100 a night in Istanbul, versus USD 
30-50 a month in Moldova or Belarus.  Another group of women 
are cheated by traffickers.  He gave an example of a Moldovan 
woman who came to Turkey years ago and married a Turkish man; 
she is now a Turkish citizen.  She frequently travels to 
Moldova to recruit young women by promising them various 
jobs, such as dancing or babysitting, and forces them into 
prostitution once they are in Turkey.  Kaplan noted that the 
women are fearful of being sold.  He added that the Istanbul 
police have found that in most cases, the women are often 
unwilling to testify against the traffickers both because 
they are afraid of reprisal, and because they want to be able 
to return to Turkey. 
 
¶5. (SBU) On the murder of the Belarusian woman, Kaplan showed 
copies both of the police report and a November 3 article 
describing the case, in which a 27-year old Belarusian woman, 
Vera Krivenia, was tricked into coming to Istanbul by two 
Turkish men with promise of a job.  The two men took her 
passport, locked her in a house in Bakirkoy and forced her 
into prostitution. According to the documentation Kaplan 
shared, Krivenia and another Russian woman were then sent to 
the apartment of two businessmen, where she committed suicide 
by throwing herself out of the sixth-floor bathroom window in 
order to avoid being a prostitute.  Kaplan confirmed that the 
police arrested and sent to prison four Turkish men in 
connection with Krivenia's death: the two men who brought 
Krivenia to Turkey to force her into prostitution, and the 
two businessmen. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Turning to the November meeting of the Moldovan TIP 
delegation with the Istanbul police (ref c), Kaplan 
complained about the attitude of the Moldovan authorities, 
calling their approach unprofessional.  Kaplan claimed that 
the Moldovan delegation accused the Turkish Police of 
cooperating with the traffickers, increasing tension in the 
meeting.  He had to warn the interpreter not to interpret all 
the statements of the Moldovans, in order to prevent the 
Foreigners Unit director from leaving the meeting.  Kaplan 
added that the GOT has problems with the Moldovans entering 
the country.  For example, it is easy to change passports and 
names in Moldova, making it very easy for a Moldovan to 
return to Turkey even though his or her entry is banned. 
SNSITIVE 
TAGS: TU BO MD KCRM PGOV BO MD KCRM PGOV KJUS
SUBJECT: ISTANBUL POLICE ON TP AND MURDER OF BELARUSIAN 
¶7. (SBU) Kalan complained about the heavy work load and lack 
of resources, both personnel and fiancal inth 
Foreigners' Unit, where te rng ofisue icludes work 
permits to illegal immgraio, TP,and visa violations. 
Kaplan stated that in November, 1000 foreigners were deported 
from Istanbul.  He believes that a separate Immigration 
Office is needed to ease the burden on the Foreigners' Unit. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Bio Note: Kaplan, who graduated from the Ankara 
Police Academy in 1991, spent a year in the U.S., on an 
exchange program in the District of Columbia and Virginia 
police stations.  He served in the Ankara police bureau from 
1992-95, then transferred to Istanbul, where he is deputy 
head of the Foreigners' Unit.   Kaplan has also worked in UN 
teams in Bosnia and Kosovo, and is comfortable with English. 
ARNETT