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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 NICOSIA 000165 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE SIPDIS 
 
FOR G/TIP, G, INL, PRM, IWI AND EUR/PGI; FOR EUR/SE MCLEGG-TRIPP AND 
EMELLINGER; STATE PLEASE PASS TO USAID 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: KCRM CY PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB
SUBJECT: AREA ADMINISTERED BY TURKISH CYPRIOTS -- SEVENTH ANNUAL TIP 
REPORT SUBMISSION 
 
REF: 06 STATE 202745 
 
NICOSIA 00000165  001.2 OF 006 
 
 
¶1. (U) Paras 3-6 are sensitive but unclassified --not/not for 
Internet distribution. 
 
¶2. (U) Embassy Nicosia hereby submits information for the April 2006 
- March 2007 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. Embassy POC is 
Terry Steers-Gonzalez, Political Section, Tel: (357) 22-39-3364, 
Fax: (357) 22-39-3467. Approximately 80 hours (FSO-03) and 55 hours 
(FSN) were spent in preparing this material. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Answers in this para are keyed to the questions in reftel, 
para 27, "Overview." 
 
¶A. (Note: Since 1974, only the southern part of Cyprus has been 
under the control of the government of the Republic of Cyprus (ROC). 
The northern part, administered by Turkish Cypriots, proclaimed 
itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)" in 1983. The 
United States does not recognize the "TRNC," nor does any country 
other than Turkey. A substantial number of Turkish troops remain on 
the island. A buffer zone, or "green line," patrolled by the UN 
Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) separates the two parts. End 
note.) 
 
The area administered by Turkish Cypriots is a destination for women 
who are trafficked to work in the sex industry. Turkish Cypriot 
authorities believe the area is also a transit point for people 
wishing to enter the EU illegally. Women trafficked for purposes of 
commercial sex do not change location once they have signed a 
contract with a particular nightclub in the north. 
 
During the reporting period, the Turkish Cypriot "Ministry of 
Interior" issued 961 "artiste"-category work permits and 15 
"barmaid"-category work permits to women coming to Cyprus to work in 
41 nightclubs and 9 pubs. As of February 2007, 381 such foreign 
women were working in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots, and 
immigration police had repatriated 235 women who wished to curtail 
their nightclub contracts. 
 
All such foreign women entering the area administered by Turkish 
Cypriots arrive via Turkey, the only country with direct commercial 
air links. The authorities maintain that most of these women have 
worked in nightclubs in Turkey, specifically in Istanbul, prior to 
coming to Cyprus. The authorities have also indicated that a 
significant number of Turkish women, who enter the area administered 
by Turkish Cypriots either on three-month tourist "visas" or on 
student "visas," work as prostitutes out of apartments in the port 
cities of Kyrenia and Famagusta. The "attorney general" believes 
these women may outnumber other third-country nationals coming to 
work on "artiste"-category work permits. 
 
There were no international or local NGOs that provided services to 
TIP victims. 
 
Immigration police said that, during the reporting period, women 
working in nightclubs and pubs came from Moldova, Ukraine, 
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Georgia and Belarus, as well as smaller numbers 
from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, the Philippines, Kenya, Romania, and 
Nigeria. 
 
¶B. There appear to have been no changes in the extent/direction of 
trafficking to/through the area administered by Turkish Cypriots. 
There is some political will to address trafficking, particularly in 
the protection of victims, as evidenced by the "157" helpline set up 
 
NICOSIA 00000165  002.2 OF 006 
 
 
by the "Ministry of Health," similar to the one operating in Turkey. 
However, there is currently no anti-trafficking law, and the 
authorities still confuse trafficking with smuggling. 
 
Under the "Nightclubs and Similar Places of Entertainment Law" (also 
known as the "Bar Girls Law") of 2000, such foreign women are not 
allowed to live onsite at their place of employment but, instead, 
live together as a group in a dormitory, which is usually adjacent 
to the nightclub or pub, or at another accommodation arranged by the 
establishment owner. In order to prevent establishment owners from 
taking their employees' passports, thus further restricting their 
freedom of movement, Turkish Cypriot immigration police hold the 
travel documents for the duration of their stay. (Note: The police 
fall under the "Prime Ministry," but they are ultimately under the 
operational command of the Turkish military, per transitional 
Article 10 of the "TRNC constitution," which "temporarily" cedes 
responsibility for public security and defense from Turkish Cypriot 
civilian authorities to Turkey. End note. See also 4.B.) 
 
A nightclub may employ up to 12 women, and a pub may employ up to 
three. Women receive six-month "artiste"-category work permits, 
which they may renew; however, they are required to leave the area 
administered by Turkish Cypriots at the end of the first permit and 
then re-enter. These women may be subject to violence, threats, 
excessive working hours and inadequate pay, and may be forced to 
perform sexual acts for clients and employers. 
 
¶C. In the past, authorities have not funded or supported an anti-TIP 
public awareness campaign, training for police officers, or aid to 
victims. However, the "Ministry of Interior" has told Embassy 
officers that limited funding may be available for these purposes 
under certain circumstances. Turkish Cypriot authorities are not a 
party to any international agreements due to the unrecognized status 
of the "TRNC." Likewise, no international NGOs have offices in the 
area administered by Turkish Cypriots. The authorities have signed 
no cooperative agreements with source countries, and would almost 
certainly be unable to do so due to recognition issues. Turkish 
Cypriot authorities have not participated in any EU or international 
conferences or training programs on TIP. While general police 
corruption is a reported problem, there is no indication that such 
corruption is specifically linked to TIP activities. 
 
¶D. Statistics are available from the Turkish Cypriot authorities 
upon request; there was no regular, public disclosure. The "Ministry 
of Interior" tracks the number of work permits issued to nightclubs 
and pubs. Immigration police track entries/exits and repatriations 
to/from the area administered by Turkish Cypriots. The "Ministry of 
Health" keeps statistics on the required, weekly health checks for 
nightclub workers, and the police keep statistics on arrests related 
to prostitution, in the absence of anti-trafficking legislation. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Answers in this para are keyed to the questions in reftel, 
para 28, "Prevention." 
 
¶A. Turkish Cypriot authorities acknowledge that trafficking is a 
problem. There is, however, much confusion of the issue with alien 
smuggling. 
 
¶B. The "ministries" of Interior, Health, and Labor, as well as the 
police, are all involved in efforts to regulate the activities of 
nightclubs and pubs and to prevent the abuse of women working in 
these establishments. The "Ministry of Interior" serves as 
interagency coordinator. (Note: The police fall under the "Prime 
Ministry," but they are ultimately under the operational command of 
 
NICOSIA 00000165  003.2 OF 006 
 
 
the Turkish military, per transitional Article 10 of the "TRNC 
constitution," which "temporarily" cedes responsibility for public 
security and defense from Turkish Cypriot civilian authorities to 
Turkey. End note.) 
 
¶C. While Turkish Cypriot authorities have not committed resources to 
anti-TIP public awareness or demand reduction campaigns, the 
"Ministry of Interior" recently told Embassy officers that limited 
funding may be available for these purposes under certain 
circumstances. See para 3.C. 
 
¶D. While Turkish Cypriot authorities have not committed resources to 
support other programs to prevent TIP, the "Ministry of Interior" 
recently told Embassy officers that limited funding may be available 
for these purposes under certain circumstances. See para 3.C. 
 
¶E. There is little communication concerning TIP between Turkish 
Cypriot authorities and civil society. During the reporting period, 
there was only one local NGO actively concerned with trafficking; 
there were no international or local NGOs that provided services to 
TIP victims. See para 3.A. 
 
¶F. Turkish Cypriot authorities make an effort to monitor both air 
and sea ports of entry and along the Green Line, keeping basic 
statistical information; however, they do not monitor immigration 
and emigration patterns for evidence of trafficking. 
 
¶G. The Turkish Cypriot authorities listed in para 4.B comprise the 
"Nightclub Commission," an "interagency" group with "municipal" 
representation as well, that meets once a month to discuss issues 
related to nightclubs/pubs and their employees. The "Commission" 
makes recommendations to the "Ministry of Interior" on the granting 
of operating licenses, on changes to employee quotas, and on the 
need to intervene in any problems arising at a particular 
establishment. However, neither the "Commission" nor the "Ministry 
of Interior" can cancel an operating license. 
 
¶H. Turkish Cypriot authorities have not developed a "national" plan 
of action to address TIP. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Answers in this para are keyed to the questions in reftel, 
para 29, "Investigation and Prosecution of Traffickers." 
 
¶A. The area administered by Turkish Cypriots does not have a law 
that specifically prohibits trafficking in persons. In 2006, 
trafficking-related cases were tried on the grounds of (1) "living 
off the earnings of prostitution or off the earnings of the 
provision of prostitutes" and/or (2) "encouraging prostitution." The 
law also prohibits (3) "abduction" and (4) "forced labor." 
 
¶B. The area administered by Turkish Cypriots does not have a law 
that specifically prohibits trafficking in persons; however, persons 
convicted of "living off the earnings of prostitution or off the 
earnings of the provision of prostitutes," or of "encouraging 
prostitution," may receive up to two years imprisonment and/or a 
fine of YTL 1,000 (approx. $712). 
 
¶C. Persons convicted of "abduction" may receive up to seven years 
imprisonment. Persons convicted of "forced labor" may receive up to 
one year imprisonment. The "attorney general" stated to Embassy 
officers that there were no complaints during the reporting period 
that would allow Turkish Cypriot authorities to press charges of 
"forced labor." 
 
 
NICOSIA 00000165  004.2 OF 006 
 
 
¶D. The law prescribes no minimum sentence for individuals convicted 
of rape, including spousal rape; the maximum sentence is life 
imprisonment. 
 
¶E. "Living off the earnings of prostitution or off the earnings of 
the provision of prostitutes" and "encouraging prostitution" are 
both illegal, and information was used to make arrests on both 
crimes during the reporting period. The authorities did not, 
however, use this information to close down any nightclubs or pubs. 
 
¶F. Turkish Cypriot authorities did not prosecute any trafficking 
cases due to a lack of appropriate legislation. Police arrested a 
total of 218 people in 163 cases for related crimes, specifically, 
97 cases of "living off the earnings of prostitution or off the 
earnings of the provision of prostitutes" and 66 cases of 
"encouraging prostitution." Of those 163 cases, 113 have been 
concluded, and 50 are still pending trial. Of the 113 concluded 
cases, 154 defendants were tried, 153 receiving fines and one 
receiving a prison sentence. Of these 154 defendants, according to 
Turkish Cypriot authorities, 30 were considered "TRNC" citizens 
while 16 were considered "TRNC"-Turkish dual citizens, 44 were 
Turkish, 54 were Moldovan, four were Bulgarian, three were 
Ukrainian, and three held ROC citizenship. Also noteworthy, one 
defendant was a nightclub owner, and 13 were nightclub managers. 
 
¶G. Turkish Cypriot authorities say that they do not know precisely 
who is behind this trafficking, since victims arrive via Turkey. 
They do not know what happens to these foreign women between the 
time they leave their countries of origin and arrive in the area 
administered by Turkish Cypriots. The authorities have indicated, 
however, that men accompanying these women at/through ports of entry 
are often Turkish. They also believe that organized crime is behind 
the ownership and management of some of the nightclubs and pubs in 
the area administered by Turkish Cypriots. The press reported the 
claims of an independent researcher, who had interviewed "artistes" 
at nightclubs, that these women come to Cyprus with the assistance 
of supposed employment agencies seeking models, babysitters or elder 
caretakers. 
 
¶H. Turkish Cypriot authorities actively investigated allegations of 
related crimes. See para 5.A. Police took advantage of nightclub and 
pub inspections to interview these foreign women and to ask if they 
were having any problems. According to police, several nightclubs 
and pubs are inspected on a weekly basis, and at least one operation 
is conducted each month. From these interviews, police estimated 
that around 10 percent of these foreign women did not understand, 
prior to their arrival on Cyprus, that they would be working in 
prostitution. Police do not use electronic surveillance, undercover 
operations, mitigated punishment or immunity in prosecuting cases. 
The law prohibits use of these techniques unless a judge makes an 
exception to such provisions for a particular case. 
 
¶I. Turkish Cypriot authorities do not provide specialized training 
on TIP. See 3.A and C. 
 
¶J. Turkish Cypriot authorities are able to cooperate only with 
Turkey, although they can and have contacted Interpol (via Turkey) 
as well. See 3.A and C. 
 
¶K. The "TRNC constitution" does not allow the extradition of Turkish 
Cypriots; Turkish Cypriot authorities have no plans to amend this 
prohibition. The authorities can, however, extradite citizens from 
other countries, although they did not receive any requests to do 
so. 
 
NICOSIA 00000165  005.2 OF 006 
 
 
 
¶L. While general police corruption is a reported problem, there is 
no indication that such corruption is specifically linked to TIP 
activities. To prevent corruption, the Police say that they assign 
officers to nightclub/pub inspections at random and do not announce 
these assignments until the last minute. 
 
¶M. There is no indication that general police corruption is 
specifically linked to TIP activities. The Police have an internal 
disciplinary mechanism that functions in cooperation with the 
"Attorney General's office." No officials were prosecuted for 
engaging in related crimes. 
 
¶N. N/A 
 
¶O. N/A 
 
¶6. (SBU) Answers in this para are keyed to the questions in reftel, 
para 30, "Protection and Assistance to Victims." 
 
¶A. The "Ministry of Health" requires nightclub employees to report 
to a hospital for weekly health checks in order to prevent the 
spread of sexually-transmitted diseases. Furthermore, the "Ministry" 
inspects nightclubs to ensure that these women are not subjected to 
unsanitary working or living conditions. 
 
Also, the "Ministry of Health" operates a "157" helpline, similar to 
the one operating in Turkey, to provide support to these foreign 
women. The nurse responsible for answering the "157" calls speaks 
Russian, Moldovan, English and Turkish. However, when Embassy 
officers recently called the helpline, the nurse did not identify 
herself or the service. 
 
With the stated intention of protecting these foreign women, the 
"Nightclubs and Similar Places of Entertainment Law" mandates that 
immigration police keep their passports during their stay on Cyprus. 
Also under the law, immigration police repatriate any woman who 
wants to leave. Because of the above, Turkish Cypriot authorities do 
not see a need to offer shelter or counselling. In 2006, 235 foreign 
women were repatriated. 
 
¶B. Turkish Cypriot authorities did not provide funding or other 
forms of support to foreign or domestic NGOs for services to 
victims. 
 
¶C. There is no formal system of identification and referral. See 
para 6.A. 
 
¶D. Victims' rights are generally protected. See para 6.A. 
 
¶E. The area administered by Turkish Cypriots has noQnti-trafficking 
legislation. Police claim that an unspecified number of foreign 
women gave statements in the investigations of crimes related to 
prostitution. There is no victim restitution program. These women 
are not permitted to pursue other employment in the area 
administered by Turkish Cypriots if they leave their nightclub or 
pub. However, if legal action is sought, the woman attains "witness" 
status and is accommodated in a hotel under police protection until 
the case is concluded. 
 
¶F. See 6.E. Though there is no formalized witness protection 
program, if legal action is sought, the woman attains "witness" 
status and is accQmodated in a hotel under police protection until 
the case is concluded. There is no publicly-supported shelter in the 
 
NICOSIA 00000165  006.2 OF 006 
 
 
area administered by Turkish Cypriots.  Turkish Cypriot authorities 
argue that there is no need for such victim services, including a 
shelter, because the Police arrange immediate repatriation for 
foreign women who wish to leave their employment. 
 
¶G. Turkish Cypriot authorities do not provide specialized training 
for "officials" in recognizing trafficking and in providing 
assistance to victims. 
 
¶H. N/A 
 
¶I. There were no international organizations or NGOs that worked 
with TIP victims. See pare 4.E. 
 
SCHLICHER