Azerbaijan, Baku, 18 June / corr. Trend M. Aliyev/ The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is concerned about the fact that the trafficking victims in Azerbaijan are considered to be criminals, prosecuted and punished by some agencies, Eva Biode, the special envoy of OSCE on fight against human trafficking said in the press conference on the results of his visit to Azerbaijan.
According to Biode, she is pleased with the fact the Interior Ministry of Azerbaijan has established four asylums for the trafficking victims. This move contributes to the identification of the trafficking victims.
"We can see from the experience of the OSCE countries that many victims do not appeal law-enforcement and other governmental agencies for fear of corruption. Therefore, the government should work out mechanism so that the victims can solve their problems through NGO without appealing law-enforcement agencies," special envoy said.
"My meetings with the government members of Azerbaijan give hope and I am inspired with their determination to fight this crime," Biode said.
According to the official reports, a total of 74 human trafficking facts were revealed in Azerbaijan in 2007 with the number of victims totaling to 101 people. Some 85 of them were made answerable. A total of 39 similar facts were revealed in 2008 with the victims totaling to 36 people an 45 people were made answerable.
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