211:. The government reported 219 human trafficking investigations in 2009, including at least 10 labor trafficking investigations. Authorities reportedly prosecuted 61 cases under Article 181, and convicted 15 trafficking offenders under the same statute in 2009, down from 17 convictions in 2008. The government did not report how many of the convictions were for forced labor versus forced prostitution. Officials reported that the majority of convicted trafficking offenders were given imposed sentences of over eight years’ imprisonment, in addition to the forfeiture of assets.
269:, including 35 children, and 29 labor trafficking victims in 2009, a significant decrease from a total of 591 victims identified in 2008. The government reported referring only 131 victims to service providers for assistance, raising concerns that the formal, national trafficking victim referral mechanism was not successfully implemented. Law enforcement officials generally referred trafficking victims to IOM or NGO shelters - which relied on donor funding - to provide short and longer term protection and rehabilitation; the government referred
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284:, free of charge, but most victims declined assistance from government facilities. Government sources acknowledged that victims were more likely to trust NGOs than government sources of assistance. Anti-trafficking NGOs reported little government interference in their operations; they also reported improved communication with government officials during past year. In some instances during 2009, the government permitted NGO specialists to attend
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The government demonstrated modest progress in trafficking prevention activities during 2009. Citizens, the media, and NGOs in
Belarus are often subjected to government intimidation and strict control, which limited open discussion about the trafficking situation in the country. Officials continued
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In 2021, Belarus was accused of human trafficking when officials sent large numbers of migrants across the border to Poland and other neighbouring EU countries. There were allegations that authorities had deliberately arranged flights and transportation to the Polish border in response to EU
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and their own hotlines, as well as partnerships with authorities in distributing NGO-funded public awareness materials. There were reports that some policies described by the
Belarusian government as anti-trafficking measures were responsible for restricting Belarusian citizens’ ability to
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did not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. The government’s response to trafficking is difficult to gauge due to the closed nature of the government, sparse
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victims, which had been reported as a problem in the past. There were no reports of identified victims being penalized for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked. Belarusian law allows for authorities to grant
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outcomes usually were predetermined, and many trials were conducted behind closed doors. The
Ministry of Interior continued to provide at least partial funding for its anti-trafficking training center, which has trained 47 Belarusian
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and on television screens in subway stops, which resulted in an increased number of calls to IOM’s hotline. The
Ministry of Interior continued to run a hotline offering information regarding the licensing status and legitimacy of
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A Council of Europe report in 2022 concluded that
Belarusian authorities were actively encouraging human trafficking; it also noted that many NGOs in the country who had been working against human trafficking had been dissolved.
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The government demonstrated minimal progress in protecting victims of trafficking during the reporting period, including a significant decrease in the number of victims identified. In 2009, authorities identified 369 victims of
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and officials from other governments as trafficking specialists since 2007. Courses at the center reportedly focused on anti-trafficking law enforcement techniques and victim assistance, and were developed in partnership with
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of intimidation was a natural obstacle to authentic government partnerships with victims and anti-trafficking organizations. Funding for victim assistance programs codified into law in 2005 remained unrealized.
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and briefings on the anti-trafficking situation in
Belarus, focusing primarily on forced prostitution, during 2009. The government aired IOM-sponsored anti-trafficking public service announcements on
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The government again failed to provide funding for specialized victim assistance programs pledged in a 2005 presidential decree, but provided some in-kind donations to NGOs. Victims could seek state
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The government claimed to have encouraged victims to participate in the investigation and prosecution of traffickers. The anti-trafficking training center reportedly emphasized the need to avoid
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industry and other sectors in Russia. According to the
Ministry of Interior, Belarusian single, unemployed females between the ages of 16 and 30 were most at risk of being trafficked.
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and punish trafficking offenders in 2009. While the government appeared to continue positive steps toward improved treatment of victims and support of the anti-trafficking
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From 2017 to 2021, the government identified 753 victims of human trafficking (an average of 188 per year); 90% of them were female and 30% of them were children.
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In 2023, the
Organised Crime Index gave Belarus a score of 7 out of 10 for human trafficking, noting that while legislation is in place, it is not widely used.
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for legitimate purposes. The government’s national action plan on trafficking, which expired in 2010, focused on
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sanctions. By mid-2024 there was only one official border crossing between the two countries.
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and imprisonment of citizens for criticizing government officials in
Belarus. In general, the
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in human trafficking during 2009 - such information may have been limited because of lack of
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was a source, destination, and transit country for women, men, and children subjected to
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Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
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United
Nations Treaty Collection website, Chapter XVIII Penal Matters section,
418:"Trafficking in Persons Report 2010 Country Narratives - Countries A Through F"
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106:. Belarusian men, women, and children continued to be subjected to forced
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Belarus must be held accountable for human trafficking, Baltic states say
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70:. The majority of identified Belarusian victims were females forced into
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often used informal social networks to approach potential victims.
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
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Poland says Belarus has turned human trafficking into a business
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interviews and closed court hearings upon victims’ requests.
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status to foreign victims, though no victims chose this
595:, legislation on trafficking in human beings in Belarus
453:"Trafficking in Persons Report 2017: Tier Placements"
420:. US Department of State. 2010-06-17. Archived from
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which may lead to confusion between trafficking and
334:. NGO's reported cooperation between the government
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Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
563:, article by Andrius Sytas dated November 15, 2021
214:While reports indicated that officials engaged in
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218:practices, there were no reports of government
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517:GRETA publishes its second report on Belarus
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483:Trafficking in Persons Report 2023
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280:and some other services, such as
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519:, article dated October 27, 2022
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187:efforts during 2009. Belarusian
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993:Human trafficking by country
630:Human trafficking in Europe
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998:Human trafficking in Europe
515:Council of Europe website,
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375:Human trafficking in Europe
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250:international organizations
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199:under Article 181 of its
183:The government sustained
62:in persons, specifically
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1008:Crime in Belarus by type
241:law enforcement officers
481:US Government website,
370:Human rights in Belarus
138:community, the overall
679:Bosnia and Herzegovina
256:, Israel, and Turkey.
74:abroad, including in:
161:Belarus ratified the
158:in 2017 and in 2023.
148:U.S. State Department
128:independent reporting
123:Government of Belarus
304:relief during 2009.
163:2000 UN TIP Protocol
895:States with limited
355:2021 border dispute
298:temporary residency
282:vocational training
193:sexual exploitation
64:forced prostitution
278:medical assistance
197:labor exploitation
179:Prosecution (2009)
154:placed Belarus in
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328:modeling agencies
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308:Prevention (2009)
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260:Protection (2009)
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897:recognition
871:Switzerland
806:Netherlands
497:Section 12a
313:to conduct
302:immigration
60:trafficking
987:Categories
841:San Marino
801:Montenegro
781:Luxembourg
761:Kazakhstan
664:Azerbaijan
467:2017-12-01
428:2023-02-10
381:References
220:complicity
98:, and the
92:Kazakhstan
952:Gibraltar
776:Lithuania
349:smuggling
228:judiciary
132:prosecute
54:In 2009,
43:July 2018
972:Svalbard
957:Guernsey
904:Abkhazia
856:Slovenia
851:Slovakia
826:Portugal
684:Bulgaria
364:See also
324:marriage
293:coercing
248:, other
156:"Tier 3"
881:Ukraine
831:Romania
791:Moldova
749:Ireland
744:Iceland
739:Hungary
729:Germany
724:Georgia
714:Finland
709:Estonia
704:Denmark
689:Croatia
674:Belgium
669:Belarus
659:Austria
654:Armenia
649:Andorra
644:Albania
336:hotline
230:lacked
216:corrupt
108:begging
96:Lebanon
80:Germany
56:Belarus
33:updated
967:Jersey
909:Kosovo
876:Turkey
866:Sweden
846:Serbia
836:Russia
821:Poland
816:Norway
796:Monaco
766:Latvia
734:Greece
719:France
694:Cyprus
286:police
209:crimes
88:Turkey
84:Latvia
76:Russia
942:Åland
861:Spain
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756:Italy
236:trial
104:Minsk
195:and
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66:and
246:IOM
189:law
150:'s
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100:UAE
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