VZCZCXRO7335
OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHNC #0915/01 3191442
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 151442Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY NICOSIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8323
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 1012
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NICOSIA 000915 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP, EUR/PGI, EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM KWMN PHUM PGOV PREL SMIG CY
SUBJECT: TIP INTERIM ASSESSMENT FOR CYPRUS 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 146300 
 
     ¶B. NICOSIA 00661 
     ¶C. NICOSIA 00881 
 
 ¶1.  The Republic of Cyprus (RoC) has made progress in 
combating trafficking in persons since the end of last year's 
TIP reporting period (March 1, 2007).  It passed 
comprehensive anti-TIP legislation and ratified the Council 
of Europe Convention for Action Against Trafficking in Human 
Beings, completed the first phase of a demand-reduction 
campaign, and donated funds to help NGOs combat trafficking. 
TIP contacts report that the government-owned shelter for 
trafficking victims is undergoing finishing touches and will 
open by the end of November.  Convicted traffickers are 
receiving longer prison sentences, and high-level officials 
have called publicly for the abolishment of the "artiste" 
work permit, a promising development. 
 
¶2.  Responses are keyed to questions posed in Ref A: 
 
A) Status of Passage of Comprehensive anti-TIP legislation: 
On July 13, the RoC enacted a new, comprehensive 
anti-trafficking law which defines and criminalizes all 
severe forms of trafficking.  The new law also provides for a 
one-month reflection period for victims of trafficking (Ref 
B).  Furthermore, on October 5 the RoC became the 10th EU 
member-state to ratify the Council of Europe Convention for 
Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings (Law 38 (II)/ 
2007).  In doing so, Cyprus brought the Convention into force 
for the entire European Union. 
 
B) Government Provision of More Dedicated Resources for the 
Protection of Trafficking Victims (including the opening of a 
Government-run TIP Victim Shelter): 
 
Financial Assistance and Other Dedicated Resources - The 
Cypriot Social Welfare Office assisted 60 victims of 
trafficking from March - October 2007.  Social Welfare 
provided shelter for 22 victims in state-run eldercare 
facilities, and offered financial assistance to 38 victims 
residing in other accommodations.  The office also provides 
victims with psychological counseling and guidance on their 
rights and entitlements (several Embassy sources claim that 
delivery of said services is sporadic, however.)  In 
addition, the RoC is working with and funding Cypriot NGOs 
involved in anti-trafficking efforts (Ref C).  For example, 
the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) recently allocated 10,000 CYP 
($25,000) to NGO STIGMA, which runs the island's only shelter 
for trafficking victims. 
 
The Shelter - The Ministry of Interior (MoI) claims that the 
government-run TIP victim shelter will open its doors by the 
end of November 2007.  Physically, the structure is ready to 
open; the remaining impediment, MFA and MOI contacts claim, 
is a procurement technicality regarding MoJ-mandated security 
cameras. 
 
C) Demand for More Trafficking Convictions and Longer 
Sentences:  Since its July 13 passage, there have been three 
cases prosecuted under the new anti-trafficking law; two are 
pending trial, and one is still under police investigation. 
Over the entire March 1 - November 15 reporting period, the 
RoC National Police Anti-TIP unit reported ten convictions 
for trafficking and prostitution-related cases (in 
comparison, there were 20 convictions from March 1, 2006 to 
March 1, 2007).  In the current period, the sentences given 
to traffickers ranged from a CYP 150 fine to 3.5 years 
imprisonment, compared to a maximum sentence of two years 
given last year. 
 
D) Reducing the number of "Artiste"-category Work Permits: 
The number of "artiste"-category work permits issued declined 
fractionally compared to the prior period.  According to the 
Police, 2279 artiste work/residency permits were issued March 
1 - November 15, as compared to 3367 during the March 1, 2006 
- March 1, 2007 period.  On November 6, MoI Permanent 
Secretary Lazaros Savvides pledged publicly to abolish 
 
SIPDIS 
"artiste" permits altogether.  Further, working level MoI 
contacts told us November 14 that President Tassos 
Papadopoulos had ordered the Ministry to study urgently the 
effective abolition of the "artiste" permit by harmonizing 
its procedures, requirements, and demands with all other 
types of nonimmigrant visas. 
 
E) Demand Reduction Campaign:  The RoC recently completed the 
first phase of a demand-reduction campaign originally 
launched in March, printing and distributing 50,000 flyers 
and 800 posters.  The MoI also procured 
translation/re-broadcast rights to two UN-produced, anti-TIP 
 
NICOSIA 00000915  002 OF 002 
 
 
spots and aired them on state TV.  The government has 
allocated an additional CYP 24,000 in FY 2008 for the second 
phase of the campaign, which should launch in January 2008. 
MoI officials are pressing other ministries to increase their 
own funding for anti-TIP efforts.  In addition, the MoJ 
allotted CYP 4,000 for a joint public awareness campaign by 
the Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies, the NGO Action 
for Equality, Support, and Anti-racism, and the Association 
for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family. 
 
F)  Other Developments: 
 
-- The Police Academy has offered four specialized seminars 
to train officers in recognizing, investigating and 
prosecuting TIP cases under the new law.  The 
Anti-trafficking unit participated in two five-day seminars 
(in June and November) at the European Police College, CEPOL. 
 
-- Via Interpol, the Police assisted in 11 trafficking cases 
earlier initiated in non-EU countries, and via Europol, in 
seven cases. 
 
-- Seven police officers face sanctions for involvement in 
TIP-related corruption in two separate cases.  Six face 
internal disciplinary actions, while the seventh faces 
criminal charges. 
SCHLICHER