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 
 
SIPDIS 
 
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). 
 
------------------------------------ 
Protection and Assistance to Victims 
------------------------------------ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
¶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