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RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
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RUEAHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 14 MINSK 000151 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, PRM, EUR/UMB 
DEPT FOR USAID ADM OFFICER 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB KCRM KFRD KWMN PHUM PREF SMIG BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK SUBMISSION FOR THE EIGHTH ANNUAL TRAFFICKING 
IN PERSONS (TIP) REPORT 
 
REF: STATE 2731 
 
¶1.  (U) This is Embassy Minsk's submission for the eighth annual TIP 
report.  Responses are keyed to reftel. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) This report identifies anti-TIP NGOs and international 
organizations by name.  However, for security reasons, post requests 
that the Department protect their identity and not publicly disclose 
them. 
 
¶27. OVERVIEW 
------------ 
 
-- A. (SBU) Belarus is a country of origin and transit for 
internationally trafficked persons, particularly women.  However, 
the trafficking of male victims to Russia for labor continues to be 
a problem.  For 2007, the Ministry of Interior reported 84 cases of 
trafficking in persons.  Authorities also registered approximately 
418 trafficking victims, of whom 378 were trafficked for sexual 
exploitation (including 22 minors) and 40 for labor exploitation 
(including one minor). 
 
-- (SBU) In 2007, the Minsk office of the International Organization 
for Migration (IOM) assisted 184 victims of trafficking, including 
31 men and 5 minors.  Of the victims IOM assisted, 134 suffered 
sexual exploitation at their destination point compared to 187 in 
2006, while 47 were forced to perform manual labor as compared to 
229 last year. 
 
-- (SBU) There were no territories in Belarus outside of the 
government's control. 
 
-- (SBU) Reliable sources of information in Belarus on trafficking 
in persons include the Ministry of Interior (MOI), the Ministry of 
Labor and Social Welfare, IOM, the Young Women's Christian 
Association of Belarus (BYWCA)/La Strada, the Belarusian Red Cross, 
the Business Women's Association, and the Women's Crisis Center 
Radislava. 
 
-- (SBU) BYWCA/La Strada, an NGO that plays a significant role in 
Belarus in trafficking prevention and victim assistance, and IOM 
reported that there were a handful of cases of trafficking in 
persons within Belarus where women were trafficked from the regions 
to Minsk for sexual exploitation.  In August 2007, police filed 
charges against nine people for running a brothel in Minsk where the 
workers, all women from the regions, received only food and clothes 
as compensation. 
 
-- B. (SBU) According to the MOI and IOM, Belarusian single, 
unemployed women between the ages 18-30 were most at risk of being 
trafficked.  Most female victims of trafficking are seeking a way to 
escape bad economic circumstances or domestic situations.  Local 
NGOs assert that more government intervention against the related 
problems of domestic violence and alcoholism would greatly reduce 
the number of women seeking employment abroad.  Of the victims IOM 
assisted in 2007, 42 percent were between the ages of 18 and 24, and 
34 percent were between ages 25 and 30.  In addition, traffickers 
have continued to target males of all ages for forced manual labor, 
primarily in Russia.  IOM statistics reported that a vast majority 
of victims would be considered poor by GOB standards. 
 
-- (SBU) Traffickers often use land crossings with Ukraine, Poland, 
and Lithuania.  The GOB has made efforts to tighten borders and 
train border guards to monitor and prevent TIP-related border 
crossings.  Traffickers increasingly opted to send more victims 
through Russia, both because of the open border there, and because 
the EU has implemented stricter visa requirements.  According to La 
Strada, trafficking victims primarily exit Belarus on legal 
documents and valid tourist visas, making it extremely difficult to 
identify victims.  Traffickers sometimes falsified a variety of 
 
MINSK 00000151  002 OF 014 
 
 
documents to move victims including passports, training 
certificates, and government stamps and seals. 
 
-- (SBU) Reports from the IOM indicate victims were mainly 
trafficked to European Union countries (particularly Germany, 
Poland, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, and Cyprus), the Middle East 
(particularly Israel and the United Arab Emirates), Turkey, Russia, 
Ukraine, and Japan.  Trafficking to Russia presents a particular 
problem because of its open border.  Although primarily a country of 
origin, its central location also makes Belarus a country of transit 
to eastern and western destinations. 
 
-- (SBU) Ministry of Interior reports indicated that traffickers 
were members of loosely organized crime networks with connections to 
larger international organized crime rings, brothels, clubs, or bars 
in destination countries.  Traffickers lured victims through 
advertisements, modeling and employment agencies, and personal 
approaches through friends and relatives, offering jobs abroad and 
soliciting marriage partners.  Traffickers often withheld victims' 
documents and used physical and emotional abuse, fraud, and coercion 
to control victims.  In January 2007 authorities charged 13 
executives of Belarusian modeling agencies with trafficking more 
than 600 women for prostitution in France, Turkey, and the United 
Arab Emirates between 2002 and 2005.  La Strada added that 
traffickers were often Belarusian citizens living abroad with 
business ties to their home country. 
 
-- (SBU) The GOB has shown initiative in training officers to fight 
TIP more effectively and assist victims.  The Ministry of Interior's 
new Anti-TIP Training Academy at the National Police Academy 
graduated its first class of trainees in July 2007, and is currently 
training at least one TIP specialist for each of the 156 police 
districts throughout the country.  These TIP specialists are trained 
in law-enforcement, victim assistance and protection. 
 
-- (SBU) As part of an effort to restrict common channels of 
trafficking, in March 2005 the GOB introduced stricter controls on 
modeling, employment, and marriage agencies.  As a result 
traffickers began to rely more on informal recruitment networks to 
approach potential victims personally to lure women and men with 
false promises of lucrative financial opportunities abroad.  Most 
recruiters were acquaintances or a friend of a friend of the victim. 
 According to IOM and La Strada, traffickers usually approach 
potential victims at bars or discos for sexual exploitation work or 
use advertisements for construction sites to lure victims for labor 
exploitation.  IOM reported that about three fourths of their 
victims were approached personally by a trafficker. 
 
-- (SBU) The National Assembly adopted a series of amendments to its 
anti-trafficking legislation in December 2005.  The amendments 
require permission from the Ministry of Education (MOE) to study 
abroad for more than 30 days,  require any entity distributing 
personal information online -- including Internet dating and 
employment agencies -- to both reregister with the government and to 
submit all information about Belarusians and foreigners who utilize 
their services.   La Strada has expressed concerns that the 
Lukashenko regime is using the TIP issue as a means to further 
restrict Belarusians from traveling abroad for legitimate purposes. 
 
 
-- C. (SBU) In 2005, the Government created a new office within the 
Ministry of the Interior, the Department on Combating Trafficking in 
Human Beings, to take the lead in its anti-TIP efforts.  Other 
government agencies involved in anti-trafficking activities include: 
 the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, 
the Ministry of Information, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the 
Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Culture, the State Security 
Committee (Belarusian KGB), and the State Border Committee.  NGOs 
are generally more active in prevention and rehabilitation. 
Government sources stated that victims were more likely to trust 
 
MINSK 00000151  003 OF 014 
 
 
NGOs than government sources of assistance. 
 
-- D. (SBU) The Belarusian government has demonstrated a noticeable 
increase in political will to combat trafficking and has used its 
efforts to combat TIP to establish itself as a responsible member of 
the international anti-TIP community and to raise its international 
profile.  However, limited governmental resources hamper anti-TIP 
efforts.  The Ministry of Interior has acknowledged the need for law 
enforcement agencies, courts, and the Prosecutor General's Office to 
organize specialized training for staff in victim identification, 
protection, communication and referral to relevant social services. 
The MOI has increased its training resources and has made a 
concerted effort to improve anti-TIP training for members of law 
enforcement.  However, the high turnover rate for law enforcement 
officials continues to put a strain on training programs.  Lack of 
coordination among government departments and bureaucratic red tape 
continue to hinder Belarus' ability to address the problem, though 
this issue is slated to be addressed during the government's new 
2008-2010 anti-TIP action plan.  Overall corruption is not a problem 
related to anti-TIP efforts. 
 
-- (SBU) IOM and La Strada noted that while the GOB opens many 
investigations into TIP cases, the prosecution rate remains low. 
The organizations attribute this discrepancy to lack of devoted 
anti-TIP personnel and the difficulty of collecting evidence for 
prosecution.  The GOB is addressing this problem through the 
Interior Ministry's plan to train TIP specialists for each police 
jurisdiction in the country at the new anti-TIP Academy. 
 
-- (SBU) Ministries and government agencies allow anti-TIP 
international organizations and NGOs to operate with little 
interference, and delays in project registration have been 
significantly reduced in the past year.  The government makes mostly 
in-kind contributions to the activities of these organizations such 
as personnel, technical and administrative support, and assistance 
with transportation, lodging or conference space, and allows the NGO 
Radislava to operate a small anti-TIP shelter in a government 
building free of charge.  The MOI continues to devote significant 
human and material resources to investigation and detection efforts 
as well as to provide representatives to participate in 
NGO-sponsored victim assistance training seminars as guest speakers 
or presenters. 
 
-- (SBU) According to the MOI, the government lacks the resources to 
aid victims, particularly funds for victim repatriation.  The 
Government is seeking assistance from international organizations 
and foreign nations to return victims to Belarus.  IOM is attempting 
to expand their victim repatriation program, primarily through 
funding from the Danish government and PRM, to meet this need. 
Given the lack of financial resources to address all the new 
anti-TIP initiatives, the GOB relies on its partnerships with NGOs 
and international organizations to implement new regulations. 
However, the GOB has taken the initiative in developing its own 
training resources for ministry and law enforcement officials at its 
Anti-TIP Training Center. 
 
-- E. (SBU) The single point of contact for all anti-trafficking 
efforts government-wide is the head of the MOI's Department on 
Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.  All ministries involved in 
anti-TIP efforts report to this Department on a monthly basis for 
evaluation.  Every six months the Department itself submits a status 
report directly to the Presidential Administration.   In May 2006, 
the GOB requested a third-party assessment of its anti-TIP efforts 
to be performed by IOM and Red Cross main offices. 
 
¶28. INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
-- A. (SBU) Belarusian law prohibits all forms of trafficking in 
persons and criminalizes trafficking in persons for sexual or other 
 
MINSK 00000151  004 OF 014 
 
 
kinds of exploitation.  Article 181 of the criminal code, which 
entered into force in 2001 and was amended in 2005, penalizes 
trafficking in persons for the purposes of sexual or other kinds of 
exploitation, including labor exploitation.  Other laws which 
pertain to trafficking in persons include: Article 18, organized 
crime; Article 167, sexual assault; Article 170, forcing sexual 
actions; Article 171, pimping and operating a brothel for the 
purpose of prostitution; Article 173, involving minors in 
anti-social behavior (including prostitution); Article 182, 
kidnapping human beings for the purpose of exploitation; Article 187 
(amended in 2005), recruitment of human beings for the purpose of 
exploitation.  A March 2005 presidential decree allows the 
confiscation of property of convicted traffickers and increased 
prison sentences.  The penalty for trafficking is a minimum of five 
years imprisonment with property forfeiture, while the punishment 
for severe forms of trafficking is a minimum of 12 years 
imprisonment with forfeiture.  These laws taken together appear to 
be adequate to cover the full scope of TIP. 
 
-- (SBU) Based on the recommendations from a series of UNDP 
conferences aimed at improving Belarus' anti-trafficking 
legislation, President Lukashenko issued Decree No. 3 "On Some 
Measures to Combat TIP," which raised the punishment for trafficking 
via amendments to Articles 171, 181, 182, and 187 of the Criminal 
Code.  Although many of the possible penalties remain the same, 
amendments to the criminal code made after this decree ensure that 
those convicted of trafficking receive longer sentences than they 
would have prior to the decree.  The decree also amended the law to 
comply with the Palermo Protocol which mandates that trafficking 
victims are not to be held responsible for illegal acts committed 
while a victim and enables the government to confiscate the property 
of convicted traffickers. 
 
-- (SBU) Legal experts noted that prosecutions under the original 
language of Article 181 were hindered by legally referring to the 
victim as a "dependent person."  This allowed defense lawyers to 
challenge the extent of dependency, causing cases to be prosecuted 
under the less effective Article 171 (pimping and operating a 
brothel) instead.  The GOB subsequently modified the decree to 
broaden the language to include any person being exploited, thus 
enabling investigators and prosecutors to build stronger cases 
against traffickers and increase the number of convictions made 
under Belarus' trafficking law. 
 
-- (SBU) Even though prosecutors and law enforcement officials use 
Article 181, many trafficking investigations were still opened under 
Articles 187, 171, 182, and 173.  Similarly, convicted traffickers 
were sentenced under these articles.  However, prosecutors and 
judges were becoming more familiar with Article 181; training by 
IOM, MOI officials, and UNDP improved the judiciary's ability to use 
Article 181 effectively. 
 
-- B. (SBU) Penalties for traffickers increased under the amendments 
to the criminal code brought about by Decree No. 3 "On Some Measures 
to Combat Trafficking in Persons."  The penalty for trafficking is 
now a minimum of five to seven years of imprisonment with forfeiture 
of property (previously three to six years with or without property 
forfeiture).  If the crime was premeditated, committed intentionally 
against a minor, involved two or more victims, was done for the 
purpose of sexual exploitation or any other kind of exploitation, 
involved the sale of organ tissue, or involved organized crime, the 
penalty is now a minimum of ten to twelve years of imprisonment with 
forfeiture of property (previously five to ten years with or without 
property forfeiture).  If the crime involved the unintentional death 
of the victim, or caused severe injury to the victim, the penalty is 
twelve to fifteen years of imprisonment with forfeiture of property 
(previously eight to fifteen with or without property forfeiture). 
 
 
-- C.  The law does not specifically mention labor exploitation. 
 
MINSK 00000151  005 OF 014 
 
 
However, Aryr 3nalizes recruitment 
of human beings for the purpose of exploitation.  The word 
"exploitation" in each of the above articles is assumed to include 
both sexual and labor exploitation.  The GOB has already started to 
convict labor traffickers under these articles. 
 
-- D. (SBU) The maximum penalty for rape or forcible sexual assault 
is 15 years imprisonment.  The maximum penalty for severe forms of 
trafficking is 15 years imprisonment with property confiscation. 
 
-- E. (SBU) Prostitution is illegal in Belarus under Article 162 of 
Belarus' administrative code.  The administrative penalties for 
prostitution are a written warning or small fine.  Pimps and brothel 
owners may be held liable under Article 171 of Belarus' criminal 
code.  The penalties for pimping or operating a brothel for the 
purpose of prostitution are a fine, arrest of up to six months, 
restricted freedom up to three years, or imprisonment for up to five 
years.  Clients of prostitutes are not liable under Belarus' 
criminal or administrative laws.  Amendments to the Criminal Code 
added a new provision to Article 171, which describes the penalties 
for pimping or operating a brothel in connection with transporting 
someone abroad for prostitution.  If the above acts are done by a 
governmental official abusing authority, by an organized group, by a 
person charged with offences stipulated in Articles 171 or 181, or 
using a minor for prostitution, the penalty is imprisonment from 7 
to 10 years with property confiscation. 
 
-- F. (SBU) According to Ministry of the Interior data, in 2007 
authorities registered 441 "trafficking in persons" crimes, 
including 162 serious ones.  Of those, 188 cases involved 
transporting 338 victims abroad for the purpose of exploitation. 
There were 26 cases of labor exploitation involving 40 victims, one 
of which was a minor.  According to Ministry of Justice statistics, 
188 people were convicted of various TIP-related offences in 2007, 
89 of which were sentenced to prison. 
 
-- (SBU) In September 2007 a court in Vitebsk sentenced five 
traffickers who together recruited 28 young women from the region 
for sexual exploitation in Moscow to three to five years 
imprisonment.  In August Belarusian authorities filed an extradition 
request for a Belarusian woman living in Kyiv who was suspected of 
recruiting more than 400 women for brothels there. 
 
-- (SBU) The MOI provided the following breakdown of the number of 
trafficking related crimes for 2007: pimping, maintaining brothels, 
prostitution (article 171) - 168 cases; involving minors in 
antisocial behavior (art. 173) - 45 cases; trafficking in persons 
(art. 181) - 84 cases; kidnapping human beings for the purpose of 
exploitation (art. 182) 8 cases; recruiting human beings for the 
purpose of exploitation (art. 187) 4 cases. 
 
-- (SBU) Due to amendments to the criminal code that came into 
effect in May 2005 under the law "On introducing changes and 
amendments to some codes of the Republic of Belarus on the issues of 
reinforcing liability for TIP and other related offences," 
trafficking crimes were charged under either the new or old penal 
code depending on when they occurred. 
 
-- G. (SBU)   With the opening of the Ministry of Interior sponsored 
International Anti-TIP Academy at the National Police Academy, the 
GOB has shown initiative in training officers to fight TIP more 
effectively and assist victims.  The Academy graduated its first 
class of trainees in July 2007, and is currently training at least 
one TIP specialist for each of the 156 police districts throughout 
the country in law-enforcement, victim assistance and protection. 
The MOI also plans to host training for law enforcement officials 
from CIS countries, and is planning an Arabic-language curriculum 
 
MINSK 00000151  006 OF 014 
 
 
for training with officers from the Gulf States.  The Ministry of 
Interior invested USD 149,000 in the facility, financing 90 percent 
of its startup costs.  Partial funding was provided by IOM, and 
training materials were developed in conjunction with La Strada.  In 
2007, the academy completed training for four groups of officers 
from several CIS countries, and is planning at least four more 
similar courses for international officers for 2008 in addition to 
continuing education programs for local officers. 
 
--H. (SBU) The MOI reported that Belarusian law enforcement 
officials have established direct TIP enforcement contacts with 
their counterparts in the main destination countries - Russia, 
Ukraine, Spain, Poland, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, 
Germany, Austria, Israel, and Turkey.  Belarusian law enforcement 
officials actively investigated cases of trafficking throughout the 
year and worked jointly with officials abroad to break up several 
trafficking rings. 
 
-- (SBU) In an investigation that concluded in April 2007, 
Belarusian police worked closely with German and Spanish authorities 
to shut down a trafficking ring based in Barcelona that trafficked 
Belarusian women to Czech Republic, Germany, Canada, and Israel. 
The Ministry of Interior worked closely with Lithuanian authorities 
to capture 19 members of a ring that trafficked Belarusian women for 
sexual exploitation in Vilnius. 
 
-- (SBU) Belarus has ratified the following agreements:  ILO 
Convention 182, ratified in July 2000 and implemented in October 
2001; ILO Conventions 29 and 105, ratified as of January 2000; the 
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on 
the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography, 
acceded January 2002; the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish 
Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, Supplementing 
the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (Palermo 
Protocol), ratified 3 May 2003. 
 
-- I. (SBU) According to Article 7 of the criminal code, Belarusian 
citizens cannot be extradited to a foreign country if provision for 
such action is not covered by an international agreement with the 
Republic of Belarus.  Foreign nationals residing in Belarus can be 
extradited to a requesting state in accordance with international 
agreements with the Republic of Belarus.  If no agreement exists 
between the Republic of Belarus and the requesting state, a foreign 
national can be extradited on the basis of reciprocity.  Belarus 
ratified the Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime that 
provides a legal basis for cooperation in extradition with other 
states that are parties to the Convention. 
 
-- J. (SBU) There were no indications of government involvement in 
or tolerance of trafficking on a local or institutional level. 
 
-- K. (SBU) There were no indications that government officials were 
involved in trafficking. 
 
-- L. (SBU) Belarus does not contribute troops to peacekeeping 
efforts and therefore there have been no cases of military personnel 
engaging in trafficking abroad. 
 
-- M. (SBU) Belarus does not have an identified child sex tourism 
problem either as a source or as a destination.  Belarus acceded to 
the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child 
on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography 
on January 2002.  Presidential Decree No. 3 "On Some Measures to 
Combat Trafficking in Persons" criminalized child pornography 
distribution.  "Manufacturing or storage with the purpose of 
distribution or advertising" of child pornography is punishable by 
one to three years imprisonment for an individual or two to four 
years by a group of people or an organization. 
 
¶29. PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS 
 
MINSK 00000151  007 OF 014 
 
 
---------------------------------------- 
 
-- A. (SBU) The August 2005 anti-TIP decree defines the status of 
trafficking victims and enumerates the services that they should be 
provided.  The edict ensures victims' safety, social security and 
rehabilitation care, and requires Belarusian diplomatic missions and 
consular sections abroad to render necessary assistance to victims. 
Social security and rehabilitation services are granted to the 
victims free of charge, and include providing victims temporary room 
and board, providing free legal assistance, and arranging medical 
and psychological care by state-run medical institutions.  Full-time 
employment assistance will also be offered.  The GOB uses its 
partnerships with NGOs and international organizations to provide 
many of the above services. 
 
-- (SBU) The 2005 decree mandates reimbursement by the 
offender/trafficker, enforceable in a court of law, of all costs 
incurred by the state in helping TIP victims.  Local governments and 
administrative agencies, district centers of social services, 
children's social shelters, and prosecutors all have the right to 
demand such reimbursement through the courts.  However, La Strada 
has noted that the procedure is complicated and burdensome.  To 
address this, the new 2008-2010 plan includes the possibility of 
reinforcing the reimbursement mechanism by creating a standing 
victim compensation fund to cover expenses related to repatriation 
and physical and psychological damage.  The fund will be subsidized 
with assets confiscated from convicted offenders. 
 
-- (SBU) The government does assist foreign trafficking victims, but 
there have been few to date.  The law allows for authorities to 
grant temporary residency status to foreign victims, though it was 
found to be necessary to do so only once.  In January 2008, 
immigration officials granted a minor from Ukraine temporary 
residency status and shelter in Belarus.  During the reporting 
period, other foreign victims have received assistance, though three 
were Russian citizens and because of standing bilateral immigration 
agreements with Russia did not need any adjustment in residency 
status.  IOM also assisted two Ukrainian citizens who already had 
residency status. 
 
-- B. (SBU) The Belarusian Government mandates that victims receive 
a variety of services.  Much of the assistance was provided by IOM, 
La Strada and the Women's Crisis Center Radislava.  According to the 
MOI, because of budget shortfalls, the GOB looks to NGOs to cover 
much of the associated costs. 
 
-- (SBU) There were 156 territorial social centers around Belarus, 
but they do not specialize in trafficking victim assistance.  Law 
enforcement officials generally refer victims to NGO shelters and 
crisis centers to provide rehabilitation and reintegration services, 
including the shelters run by IOM, La Strada, Radislava, and a 
shelter originally established by UNDP.  According to La Strada, 
approximately five or six of the 156 territorial shelters have 
crisis centers that were ready to accept trafficking victims.  The 
GOB recently acquired the former UNDP shelter when it was 
transferred to the Minsk City Center for Social Services for 
Families and Children upon the completion of the UNDP project. 
 
-- (SBU) In 2006, IOM opened a Medical Rehabilitation Shelter that 
offers medical and psychological assistance to trafficking victims. 
Radislava and La Strada run mini-shelters for TIP victims. 
Approximately 30 NGOs render legal, psychological and other 
assistance.  To fund their activities, government facilities and 
NGOs have the right to sue traffickers for reimbursement. 
 
-- (SBU) There are 136 child social centers where child victims can 
be sent.  In 2007, IOM registered five minors as trafficking 
victims. 
 
-- (SBU) Victims can independently seek medical assistance, 
 
MINSK 00000151  008 OF 014 
 
 
including HIV/AIDS testing, through state clinics free of charge 
under Belarus' system of healthcare, though the centers do not 
specialize in trafficking victims.  Most victims decline to seek 
medical assistance due to reluctance to divulge information to 
clinic and hospital staff.  Regional social centers and employment 
offices in theory can also provide social services to returned 
victims.  Financial restraints and a lack of resources and  training 
undermine the government's ability to provide comprehensive care to 
victims. 
 
-- (SBU) Because of the GOB's increased focus on training, law 
enforcement officials more frequently referred victims to NGOs in 
Belarus that can provide medical, shelter and financial assistance. 
In some cases law enforcement officials provided transportation to 
and from home to NGOs or to other assistance providers for victims 
who requested reintegration help. 
 
-- C. (SBU) The GOB increased its in-kind assistance efforts and has 
made administrative matters significantly easier for anti-TIP NGOs. 
The NGO Radislava reported receiving a newly-renovated building free 
of charge with free utilities from the authorities in return for an 
agreement to open a new shelter for victims of trafficking and 
domestic violence, and the Red Cross reported receiving favorable 
leasing terms and pricing for its facilities.  Government sources 
stated that NGOs also receive waivers for customs duties.  Most 
government assistance comes from the federal budget.  IOM reported 
that the GOB provided 20 percent of all conference costs and 
provides logistical support. 
 
-- D.  (SBU) An NGO referral system exists, which IOM established in 
September 2002.  It consists of 21 organizations involved in both 
prevention and reintegration activities.  In 2007, these 
organizations referred 149 victims to IOM for reintegration 
assistance.  Some NGOs have commented in the past that law 
enforcement officials have made inaccurate referrals, and 
recommended additional training for officers to learn how to 
properly identify and refer victims of trafficking.  Authorities are 
addressing this problem through officer training at the MOI's 
Anti-TIP Training Academy.  Additionally, under the auspices of 
IOM's memo of understanding with the border guards, IOM will provide 
seminars and victim identification trainings for government 
officials. 
 
-- E. (SBU) Not applicable as prostitution in Belarus is illegal. 
 
-- F. (SBU) NGOs in Belarus generally agree that the legal rights of 
victims are respected.  Trafficking victims are not detained or 
jailed.  Belarus ratified the Palermo Protocol in 2003, and follows 
its policy that states that even if a woman had previously consented 
to prostitution, she should still be considered a victim.  In 
addition, the August 2005 anti-TIP decree mandates that TIP victims 
may not be deported or otherwise held administratively accountable 
for offences committed in connection to TIP crimes against them such 
as prostitution or immigration violations. 
 
-- G. (SBU) Official policy forbids coercion of victims, and it 
appears that this is taken seriously by Ministry of Interior 
leadership, though the policy is still being assimilated by the 
ranks.  Several NGOs have reported an improvement in the area of 
victim coercion, though there are still reports that pressure to 
cooperate with investigations does occasionally occur with less 
experienced officers at the local level.  The State Border Committee 
now allows IOM to take and shelter victims for several days before 
calling in investigators.  The issue of pressuring victims is one 
area that the TIP Academy emphasizes during its training of local 
TIP-specialist police officers. 
 
-- H. (SBU) Victims are allowed to file civil suits and/or seek 
legal action against the traffickers, and both IOM and La Strada 
provide legal assistance to victims of trafficking.  A 
 
MINSK 00000151  009 OF 014 
 
 
counter-trafficking manual for law enforcement officials and 
repeated law enforcement trainings by international organizations 
and NGOs in Belarus' regional centers have improved law enforcement 
officers' interviewing skills.  Local NGOs still report, however, 
that victims occasionally encounter judgmental and hostile attitudes 
from some law enforcement personnel, particularly in smaller cities 
and towns, though this issue continues to be addressed through 
further training. 
 
-- (SBU) Part six of Article 168 of the Criminal Code states that 
where there is reason to believe that a witness, their family 
members, close relatives, or other persons closely related to the 
witness have been threatened with murder, violent actions, or 
destruction of property, the witness' personal data and signature 
should not be included in the witness report.  According to part one 
of Article 172 and part one of Article 173, upon receipt of 
information or statements regarding threats made against a witness, 
the authorities must register, consider, and provide a decision 
regarding the claim within three days, or no more than 10 days if 
time for verification is necessary and there is sufficient reason 
for instituting a criminal case.  To protect their safety, the 
identity of the witness may be kept confidential from the court 
until just before the witness is called to testify.  According to 
MOI officials, financial restraints limited the MOI's capacity to 
implement witness protection programs. 
 
-- I. (SBU) According to the August 2005 edict, Belarusian 
diplomatic missions and consular sections must field inquiries from 
Belarusian citizens abroad about legislation to combat trafficking 
in persons and protect victims in the host country and in Belarus, 
guarantee full compliance of the host country's laws in relation to 
the citizens of Belarus, and ensure the return of victims who are 
Belarusian citizens to their place of residence.  The MFA reported 
that Belarusian Embassy Consular Sections have repatriated several 
victims from the Gulf States and the Caucasus region in recent 
years.  The MFA included anti-TIP training in its annual consular 
conference.  La Strada was in the process of creating a booklet for 
Belarusian embassies abroad on anti-TIP legislation, victim 
identification and the MFA's role in combating TIP.  IOM has 
disseminated information about Belarusian NGOs that assist returned 
victims of trafficking in Belarus to the MFA, which has in turn 
passed the information to embassies and consulates in destination 
countries. 
 
-- J. (SBU) The August 2005 anti-TIP decree ensures victims' safety, 
social security and rehabilitation care, and requires Belarusian 
diplomatic missions and consular sections abroad to render necessary 
assistance to Belarusian victims abroad. 
 
-- K. (SBU) The following international organizations and NGOs work 
with trafficking victims in Belarus: 
 
-- (SBU) The Young Women's Christian Association of Belarus 
(BYWCA)/La Strada runs prevention and victim assistance and 
reintegration programs.  The NGO's anti-trafficking efforts include 
operation and management of Belarus' first toll-free trafficking 
hotline and a mini-shelter to accommodate victims for short stays. 
The hotline provides callers with legal information, advice about 
working abroad and marriage to foreign nationals, review of work 
contracts, and information about where to seek help if trouble 
arises.  It has received over 15,000 calls since its inception in 
¶2001.  The organization also plays a significant role in developing 
educational materials for distribution through government channels, 
training government officials, and curriculum development for the 
MOI's Anti-TIP Academy. 
 
-- (SBU) The International Organization for Migration (IOM) 
implements a counter trafficking program that addresses prevention, 
prosecution, and protection.  IOM's network of 21 Belarusian NGOs 
tackling human trafficking and providing assistance to victims have 
 
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helped nearly 1,500 human trafficking victims.  IOM runs a 
preventive program for women living in the regions of Belarus who 
were most at risk for being victims of trafficking to teach them 
basic job and job-seeking skills and possibly help them find 
employment.  The organization has run extensive public awareness 
campaigns throughout Belarus, and in conjunction with the Brest 
Association of Professional Women operates toll-free information 
hotline in Brest through funding from the USG and the Swedish 
Development Agency (SIDA).  SIDA also funds IOM law enforcement 
activities and victim repatriation, and the Department's PRM Bureau 
funds prevention and protection activities.  IOM has excellent 
relations with the Ministry of the Interior and the State Border 
Committee. 
 
-- (SBU) Women's Crisis Center "Radislava" opened in 2002 and 
assists victims of trafficking and domestic violence in Minsk.  The 
Center operates a shelter that provides temporary room and board, 
and some medical services.  As the services were not tailored to 
specifically assist victims of trafficking, La Strada opened a 
mini-shelter with Radislava for trafficking victims.  The 
mini-shelter is equipped to accommodate short stays of three to five 
days for four adults and three children.  Radislava reported 
receiving a newly-renovated building free of charge with free 
utilities from the authorities in return for an agreement to open a 
new shelter for victims of trafficking and domestic violence. 
 
-- (SBU) Business Women's Association continues to run its own 
anti-trafficking hotline in Brest; this hotline began operations in 
¶2002. The city of Brest is the largest crossing point along the 
Belarusian-Polish border.  IOM provided funding for the hotline 
project and BYWCA implemented training for hotline administrators 
and counselors.  The Association also assists in training seminars 
in the Brest Region, usually sponsored by IOM or La Strada, and 
continues to develop contacts across the border in Poland to 
facilitate anti-trafficking efforts in the region. 
 
-- (SBU) The Red Cross  provides preventative information and 
assistance and victim protection.  The organization established five 
consultation centers throughout Belarus with financial help from the 
IOM.  Each center has an advisory council that consists of Red Cross 
staff and representatives of local health, education, and law 
enforcement organization.  The organization provides victims with 
medical, psychological, legal, and material assistance and has 
programs designed to help victims acquire professional skills and 
acquire jobs.  The Red Cross assisted 234 victims in 2006, and 51 
victims in the first six months of 2007. 
 
¶30. PREVENTION 
-------------- 
-- A. (SBU) The government acknowledges that trafficking is a 
serious problem in Belarus.  It recently completed the 2002-2007 
State Program of Comprehensive Measures Designed to Combat 
Trafficking in Persons and the Spread of Prostitution, under which 
authorities adopted a series of governmental regulations and new 
legislation.  In addition, during 2007, Belarus tabled two draft 
resolutions at the United Nations General Assembly calling for more 
effective coordination mechanisms at the international level. 
Belarus was also active in ensuring that TIP remains on the agenda 
for the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the 
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). 
 
-- (SBU) The GOB actively sponsored and participated in 
international TIP conferences.  Together with the government of the 
Philippines and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 
Belarus sponsored the International Conference on Trafficking in 
Women and Girls held at the United Nations in March, 2007.  In 
April, the Ministry of Interior held a conference in Minsk on 
"International Law Enforcement Cooperation in the Fight Against 
Trafficking" which was attended by representatives from thirty 
countries. 
 
MINSK 00000151  011 OF 014 
 
 
 
-- (SBU) The government's attention to trafficking issues continued 
to increase, particularly within the Ministries of Justice, 
Interior, and Foreign Affairs.  GOB officials demonstrated a better 
understanding of the nature of trafficking crimes and the importance 
of protecting victims.  The efforts of the central government 
increased the level of trafficking awareness within regional and 
local governments. 
 
-- (SBU) The government's latest initiative is the adoption of its 
new 2008-2010 State Program on Countering Trafficking in Human 
Beings, Irregular Migration and Related Illicit Activities.  This 
program is aimed at decreasing irregular migration and prostitution, 
increasing protection and rehabilitation for victims of trafficking, 
enhancing the efficiency of the state authorities' prevention 
efforts, further improving TIP-related legislation, and developing 
cooperation with concerned states and organizations.  A major 
component of the plan will be to create a series of public service 
announcements to be aired on national and regional television 
stations.  This information campaign will be led by the Ministry of 
Interior and will receive funding from the Ministry of Information. 
 
-- B.  (SBU) State-controlled media outlets continued to increase 
news coverage of trafficking stories in state newspapers and aired 
talk shows, television documentaries, and interviews with GOB 
officials about the problem of trafficking in Belarus.  During 2007, 
ministry officials conducted 14 press conferences and 13 briefings 
to increase awareness of the problem.  The increased media campaign 
consisted of 61 television and 108 radio spots, and 247 printed 
articles.  The Citizenship and Migration Department conducted its 
own public awareness campaign on working abroad which included 92 
television appearances, 108 radio spots, and 422 printed 
informational articles. 
 
-- (SBU) In addition, the MOI monitored advertising media for 
potential TIP recruitment messages.  Authorities found 353 potential 
pitches for prostitution or other illegal work abroad in print and 
157 on domestic internet sources.  Media monitoring led to 49 
administrative charges on promoting prostitution, and six criminal 
convictions. 
 
-- (SBU) Though in the past IOM complained of long delays in 
receiving approval for its own anti-TIP television spots, it 
reported a marked improvement in the approval process in 2007. 
Three of the four television messages IOM proposed were approved 
without delay.  IOM also reports that its public awareness billboard 
messages that can be seen throughout Minsk have been provided free 
of charge by the authorities.  Educational materials developed by 
IOM and La Strada are now displayed and distributed at all land 
border crossings and at the international airport. 
 
-- (SBU) The Ministry of Interior continues to run a TIP information 
hotline, though its single goal is to offer information regarding 
the licensing status and legitimacy of agencies involved in work and 
study abroad.  The Ministry acknowledges that NGO-run hotlines are 
more effective at providing a broader range of services, and that 
they refer callers to those hotlines.  La Strada and IOM have 
reported very strong cooperation between the government hotline and 
their own hotlines in Minsk and Brest.  A La Strada official 
acknowledged that it would be ideal for callers to receive all 
necessary information in one call, but notes that the government 
hotline refers all callers to them and that authorities do not 
hinder or interfere with their work. 
 
-- C. (SBU) IOM mentioned a marked improvement in relations with 
government entities during the past two years, and several 
TIP-related NGOs have reported improved relations with authorities 
during 2007.  IOM has reported that securing permissions and 
approvals for its projects has become much easier during the past 
year, with approval times and bureaucratic hassles greatly reduced. 
 
MINSK 00000151  012 OF 014 
 
 
Proposals that formerly required paperwork and a lengthy approval 
process are now routinely handled immediately with a simple phone 
call from IOM's head of mission. 
 
-- (SBU) The government has begun to publicly acknowledge the work 
of local NGOs.  In the past, when IOM or other international NGOs 
submitted proposals for new projects for mandatory registration, 
authorities often directed them to eliminate references to local NGO 
partners.  Previously, both IOM and La Strada complained that NGOs 
and international organizations were not formally recognized as 
partners in Belarus' fight against TIP.  IOM surmised that this is 
based on the GOB's general mistrust of any kind of non-governmental 
actors.  However, in 2007 authorities began to allow mention of 
partner NGOs in project proposal paperwork, and the Ministry of 
Interior now even publicly acknowledges local NGO participation in 
high-profile projects.  In April 2007, the Minister of Interior 
mentioned the participation of eight local NGOs in a policy speech, 
a significant step considering that as recently as November 2006 he 
avoided all references to such NGOs in public addresses.  While the 
authorities are still generally distrustful of NGOs, they have 
increased cooperation with TIP-specific NGOs and are showing a more 
open and cooperative attitude. 
 
-- (SBU) The Ministry of Interior regularly covers 20 percent of the 
cost of conferences sponsored by IOM, amounting to approximately USD 
50,000 in 2007, and often also provides transportation, security, 
and lodging for participants.  NGOs have reported close cooperation 
from authorities in distributing educational materials.  Authorities 
supported distribution of public service announcements produced by 
the Red Cross and IOM, airing them on state television and on 
television screens at subway stops free of charge. 
 
-- D. (SBU) According to the MOI, the government has a system to 
monitor and control various categories of people crossing Belarusian 
borders.  The 2006-2010 State Migration Program created a mechanism 
of state regulation of migration trends throughout Belarus.  Belarus 
has taken steps to increase border security.  Border authorities are 
currently working on the Bombel Program, a joint project with EC and 
UNDP designed to raise Belarusian border management to EU standards. 
 Phase one was completed in 2007 and focused on increasing border 
security, providing training for border guards in EU standard 
practices, and continuing development of an automated passport 
system.  Phase two is currently under way and is aimed at improving 
migration control. 
 
-- (SBU) Attention to trafficking detection by Belarus' State Border 
Committee (SBC) continued to increase due to training by 
international organizations and attention from the highest levels of 
government.  SBC has increased emphasis on training border guards, 
sending officers to take part in numerous seminars on 
counter-trafficking strategies organized in Belarus and abroad.  In 
addition, IOM noted that GOB officials investigate all Belarusians 
who return from abroad without travel documents.  SBC officials have 
reported several cases where officers were able to identify 
potential victims at borders and convinced them to turn back. 
 
-- E. (SBU) The MOI is responsible for monitoring the implementation 
of the government's national strategy to combat trafficking in 
persons.  The MOI leads an inter-agency taskforce, which includes 
the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the 
Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, the State Customs Committee, 
the State Border Committee, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of 
Information, the Ministry of Culture and the BKGB.  In the past, 
anti-trafficking organizations were often frustrated by a lack of 
inter-ministerial communication and coordination, as well as the 
lack of a single point of contact within the government on 
trafficking issues.  However, during 2007, IOM reported that 
communication with government officials improved. 
 
-- (SBU) In March 2005, the GOB formed a group of government 
 
MINSK 00000151  013 OF 014 
 
 
officials under the Security Council to implement the President's 
decree and to improve the efficiency of international programs 
against human trafficking in Belarus.  The group includes officials 
from the Security Council's State Secretariat, the Office of the 
Presidential Administration, the Supreme Court, the Council of 
Ministers, the Committee for State Security (KGB), the State Border 
Committee, the upper chamber of the National Assembly, and the 
Foreign, Economic, Health, Justice, Labor, Culture, Information, and 
Sports Ministries. 
 
-- (SBU) The MOI body responsible for investigating public 
corruption is the Office to Combat Organized Crime and Corruption. 
The State Control Committee also investigates allegations of 
official corruption through the Interagency Commission for Combating 
Crime, Corruption and Drug Trafficking.  During the past year, there 
have been no indications of official government involvement in 
trafficking. 
 
-- (SBU) In order to combat trafficking on a global scale and 
increase international communication, the GOB sponsored a UNGA 
resolution recommending the creation of an international 
coordination mechanism with headquarters in Vienna. 
 
-- F. (SBU) In 2001, the Council of Ministers approved a five-year 
strategy to combat trafficking in persons and prostitution.  The 
strategy called for the formation of an inter-agency working group 
to address the trafficking problem and proposed measures for 
prevention, prosecution, victims' assistance and international 
cooperation.  The government is continuing its efforts with the 
adoption of its new 2008-2010 State Program on Countering 
Trafficking in Human Beings, Irregular Migration and Related Illicit 
Activities.  This program is mainly aimed at decreasing irregular 
migration and prostitution, and increasing protection and 
rehabilitation of victims of trafficking and further improving TIP 
legislation.  The plan also includes training to enhance the 
efficiency of prevention efforts improving cooperation between 
government and non-government entities.  Exact budget figures for 
the implementation of the program are unavailable. 
 
-- (SBU) The government agencies involved in developing the plan 
include: the Interior, Foreign Affairs, Education, Labor and Social 
Security, Economic, Health, Justice, Labor, Culture, Information, 
and Sports Ministries; State Customs Committee; the Prosecutor 
General's Office; the Committee for State Security (KGB); the State 
Border Committee; the National Academy of Sciences; the Scientific 
Research Institute of Criminology, Criminal Analysis and Judicial 
Experts; Belarusian State Insurance Organization; Belarusian 
TV/Radio Company; Institution of Social and Political Research under 
the Office of the Presidential Administration.  Prior to enacting 
this plan, the Ministry of Interior consulted extensively with IOM 
and its partner NGOs. 
 
-- G. (SBU)  As Belarus is not a trafficking or sex tourism 
destination, it has not conducted awareness campaigns targeting 
clients of the sex trade, or a campaign that targets those who form 
the demand for forced labor. 
 
¶25. HEROES: N/A 
 
¶26. BEST PRACTICES: The Ministry of Interior's International 
Anti-TIP Academy is an example of how governments can take the 
initiative in training their personnel to fight TIP.  The Academy's 
efforts work on two fronts.  Not only does it provide training for 
local law enforcement specialists for each of its police 
jurisdictions, but it has also completed courses for officers in 
destination countries.  It has already completed training courses 
for several officials in CIS countries, and is expanding its efforts 
toward a curriculum for Gulf State destination countries. 
 
¶2.  (U) Embassy point of contact for TIP report: Political Officer 
 
MINSK 00000151  014 OF 014 
 
 
Stephen Kovacsics.  Tel: +375-17-210-1283, ext. 4488. Fax: 
+375-17-234-7853, Email: kovacsicssg@state.gov 
 
¶3.  (U) Personnel time spent on this report:  Post spent 
approximately 80 hours preparing the Trafficking in Persons Report. 
 
STEWART