Trafficking in Persons Report 2008

Released by the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
June 4, 2008

SERBIA (Tier 2)

Serbia is a source, transit, and destination country for women and girls trafficked transnationally and internally for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation. Foreign victims are trafficked to Serbia from Macedonia, Ukraine, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Albania, and the People’s Republic of China. Serbia continued to serve as a transit country for victims trafficked from Bosnia, Croatia, and Slovenia and destined for Italy and other countries in Western Europe. Internal sex trafficking of Serbian women and girls continued to increase, comprising more than three-fourths of trafficking cases in 2007. Some children continued to be trafficked into forced labor or forced street begging. According to NGOs and law enforcement, efforts to shut down known brothels continued to prompt traffickers to better conceal victims of trafficking.

The Government of Serbia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. The government increased national funding for combating trafficking in persons, actively investigated trafficking, prosecuted high-level cases, and took a step in addressing trafficking-related corruption by investigating and charging a state prosecutor for complicity. During the reporting period, the government improved its capacity to assist trafficking victims via the establishment of 11 new municipal teams made up of government officials and NGO representatives. An inefficient judicial system resulted in trials that lasted months or years, and convicted traffickers continued to delay serving their sentences, sometimes by several years, by filing multiple appeals. This sometimes resulted in convicted traffickers remaining free and possibly continuing to exploit victims. Sentences continued to be light in many cases, and did not serve to deter trafficking in Serbia. Although the government expanded its training program to educate law enforcement how to identify victims, concerns remained about victims sometimes not correctly identified and punished as a result of being trafficked.

Recommendations for Serbia: Pass implementing legislation as part of the national judicial reform plan, which will streamline the judicial process and ensure convicted traffickers serve their sentences soon after sentencing; continue to address trafficking- related corruption by vigorously prosecuting and punishing officials who facilitate trafficking; amend the penal code to raise minimum penalties for trafficking; provide evidence of vigorous prosecution, conviction, and sentencing of traffickers via comprehensive law enforcement data; implement measures in the National Strategy to Combat Trafficking in Persons, such as the protocol for victim identification and referral; include NGOs in the initial identification phase for potential victims; develop programs to assist the increasingly growing problem of children who are victims of trafficking; and improve prevention efforts, including efforts to reduce demand for commercial sex.

Prosecution
The Government of Serbia continued its efforts to actively investigate trafficking cases, though its court often imposed insufficient sentences on convicted trafficking offenders. The criminal code for Serbia criminally prohibits sex and labor trafficking in article 388 and prescribes penalties that are sufficiently stringent and commensurate with those prescribed for other grave offenses, such as rape. In 2007, the government investigated and charged 62 persons with trafficking. The government reported at least 23 trafficking convictions during the reporting period. In December 2007, in a high-profile case in Novi Sad, the judge sentenced 11 defendants, including one police officer, to a total of 42 years’ imprisonment, and the defendants are reportedly serving their sentences. In another high profile case, the government investigated and indicted seven traffickers, including the Deputy Public Prosecutor, in Novi Pazar in December 2007. The prosecutor sexually exploited some of the victims and was aware of trafficking abuses they had suffered, including the death of one victim. In 2007, the government investigated a police officer for his role in facilitating the trafficking of a forced labor victim. This trial is scheduled to begin in May 2008. In March 2007, a Belgrade court convicted 12 suspects to a total of 42 years’ imprisonment for trafficking Chinese nationals through Serbia. Most convicted traffickers in Serbia continue to be freed pending appeal and there was at least one case of a convicted trafficker who remained free and continued his trafficking activities. Due to vacancies in the office of the National Coordinator, the government did not provide comprehensive law enforcement data on trafficking prosecutions, convictions, and sentences.

Protection
The government continued to cooperate with NGOs on victim assistance, but did not provide any funding for NGOs providing victims of trafficking with services such as counseling, legal assistance, and reintegration programs. The Agency for the Coordination of Protection of Victims of Trafficking reported the identification of 60 victims in 2007, including 26 minors; 48 of the 60 were Serbian victims. The government encouraged victims to assist in the investigation and prosecution of traffickers, according to NGOs in Serbia; 90 percent of victims reportedly participated in the investigation of their traffickers. However, many victims refuse to testify in court, out of fear of reprisals by their traffickers. The government used its 2006 Witness Protection Law to protect only one trafficking victim during the year. According to NGOs, trafficking victims were often directly or indirectly forced to testify against traffickers and some courts continue to demonstrate insensitivity to trafficking victims by scheduling victims and their accused traffickers to appear in court together, despite victims’ objections. Serbian law allows victims to file civil suits against traffickers for compensation, but as of March 2008 no trafficking victim had been awarded compensation. Victims pursuing criminal or civil suits are entitled to temporary residence permits and may obtain employment or leave the country pending trial proceedings. The government awarded temporary residence status to a total of six victims in 2007. Identified victims are not detained, jailed, prosecuted, or otherwise penalized for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of their being trafficked. However, one NGO reported that authorities failed to identify some trafficking victims in 2007, resulting in their arrest, detainment, and subsequent deportation. To address this issue, the government expanded its training program for law enforcement.

In 2007, thirty-seven trafficking victims were accommodated in two NGO shelters, 21 in a short-term shelter and 16 in transition housing (including two babies). Reintegration services were provided to 47 women and four men (including 22 children). During the reporting period, 11 new municipalities established social assistance teams composed of social workers, police, and NGO staff to provide assistance to potential victims of family violence and trafficking.

Prevention
The Government of Serbia demonstrated mixed efforts in its prevention activities in 2007. The government has yet to begin implementation of its December 2006 National Strategy to Combat Trafficking in Persons. Furthermore, the government’s anti-trafficking team charged with leading Serbia’s anti-trafficking efforts met only once during the year. However, the government increased its educational prevention programs during the year, and in 2007, launched a fund-raising drive for the Agency for Coordination. It also sponsored a month of anti-trafficking programs on national television during October 2007. Although the government finalized scripts for a project to which it earmarked $100,000 for a 13-episode television series entitled “Modern Slavery,” NGOs expressed concerns about the series being completed. The government did not conduct any awareness campaigns aimed to reduce demand for commercial sex acts. ###

Izveštaj o trgovini ljudima 2008.
Objavila Kancelarija za nadzor i borbu protiv trgovine ljudima
4. juni 2008.

SRBIJA (Nivo 2)

Srbija je zemlja-izvor, kao i tranzitna i odredišna zemlja za trgovinu ženama i devojkama kojima se trguje na lokalnom i međunarodnom nivou u cilju komercijalne seksualne eksploatacije. Strane žrtve identifikovane u Srbiji potiču iz Makedonije, Ukrajine, Moldavije, Bosne i Hercegovine, Bugarske, Rumunije, Hrvatske, Albanije i Narodne Republike Kine. Srbija je i dalje tranzitna zemlja za žrtve iz Bosne, Hrvatske i Slovenije čija su odredišta Italija i druge zemlje zapadne Evrope. Lokalna trgovina srpskim ženama i devojkama u cilju seksualne eksploatacije nastavila je da se povećava i čini više od tri četvrtine slučajeva trgovine ljudima u 2007. godini. Izvesnim brojem dece trgovalo se u cilju prisilnog rada ili prisilnog prosjačenja. Prema podacima nevladinih organizacija i policije, napori da se identifikovani bordeli zatvore i dalje navode trgovce ljudima da svoje žrtve bolje kriju.

Vlada Srbije ne pridržava se u potpunosti minimuma standarda za eliminaciju trgovine ljudima, ali ulaže znatne napore u tom pogledu. Vlada je povećala državno finansiranje borbe protiv trgovine ljudima, aktivno je sprovodila istrage o trgovini ljudima, krivično su gonjeni počinioci u značajnim predmetima, a takođe su preduzeti koraci u pogledu korupcije vezane za trgovinu ljudima tako što je pokrenuta istraga i podneta krivična prijava protiv državnog tužioca osumnjičenog za saučesništvo. U periodu na koji se izveštaj odnosi, vlada je poboljšala rad na pružanju pomoći žrtvama osnovavši jedanaest novih opštinskih timova koje sačinjavaju vladini službenici i predstavnici nevladinih organizacija. Neefikasanost sudskog sistema ogledala se u suđenjima koja traju mesecima ili godinama, a osuđeni trgovci ljudima i dalje odlažu odsluženje kazne, ponekad i po nekoliko godina, tako što ulažu mnogobrojne žalbe. Povremeni ishod ovakvog ponašanja jeste to da osuđeni trgovci ljudima ostaju na slobodi i možda nastavljaju da eksploatišu žrtve. Kazne su i dalje blage u mnogim slučajevima i nisu dovele do smanjivanja trgovine ljudi u Srbiji. Premda je vlada proširila program obučavanja policije za identifikaciju žrtava, i dalje postoji zabrinutost da žrtve trgovine ljudima ponekad nisu pravilno identifikovane te kao takve bivaju kažnjene.

Preporuke za Srbiju: Doneti primenjive zakone kao deo nacionalnog plana o sudskoj reformi koji će osavremeniti sudski postupak i obezbediti da osuđeni trgovci ljudima odsluže kazne ubrzo nakon izricanja presude; nastaviti rad na pitanju korupcije povezane sa trgovinom ljudima odlučnim krivičnim gonjenjem i kažnjavanjem zvaničnika koji omogućavaju trgovinu ljudima; usvojiti izmene krivičnog zakona kako bi se povećale minimalne kazne za trgovinu ljudima; obezbediti dokaze o odlučnom krivičnom gonjenju, presudama i osuđivanju trgovaca ljudima pomoću sveobuhvatnih policijskih podataka; primeniti mere u Nacionalnoj strategiji za borbu protiv trgovine ljudima, kao što je protokol za identifikaciju i upućivanje žrtava; uključiti nevladine organizacije u početnu fazu identifikacije potencijalnih žrtava; pripremiti programe za rešavanje sve većeg problema dece žrtava trgovine ljudima; poboljšati prevenciju, uključujući napore na smanjenju potražnje za komercijalnim seksom.

Krivično gonjenje

Vlada Srbije nastavila je s naporima na aktivnom pokretanju istraga u slučajevima trgovine ljudima, mada je sud osuđenim počinicioma u oblasti trgovine ljudima često izricao nedovoljne presude. Član 388 Krivičnog zakona Srbije zabranjuje trgovinu ljudima u cilju seksualne i radne eksploatacije kao krivično delo i propisuje kazne koje su dovoljno stroge i srazmerne kaznama propisanim za druga teška krivična dela kao što je silovanje. Godine 2007. vlasti su vodile istrage i podnele krivične prijave za trgovinu ljudima protiv 62 lica. Vlada je prijavila najmanje 23 presude izrečene za trgovinu ljudima u periodu na koji se izveštaj odnosi. Decembra 2007. u značajnom predmetu u Novom Sadu, sudija je osudio 11 okrivljenih uključujući i jednog policajca, na kaznu zatvora u ukupnom trajanju od 42 godine, i okrivljeni se navodno nalaze na odsluženju kazne. U jednom drugom značajnom predmetu, vlasti su pokrenule istragu i podigle optužnice protiv sedam trgovaca ljudima, uključujući i zamenika javnog tužioca, u Novom Pazaru u decembru 2007. Tužilac je seksualno iskorišćavao neke od žrtava i imao saznanja o zlostavljanji koje su pretrpele žrtve trgovine ljudima, uključujući i smrt jedne žrtve. Godine 2007. vlasti su pokrenule istragu o ulozi policajca u omogućavanju trgovine osobom koja je žrtva prisilnog rada. Početak ovog suđenja zakazan je za maj 2008. Marta 2007. jedan beogradski sud osudio je 12 osumnjičenih lica na kaznu zatvora u ukupnom trajanju od 42 godine zbog trgovine kineskim državljanima preko Srbije. Većina osuđenih trgovaca ljudima u Srbiji i dalje je na slobodi do rešavanja žalbenog postupka a postojao je najmanje jedan slučaj gde je trgovac ljudima ostao na slobodi i nastavio da se bavi trgovinom ljudima. Zbog nedostatka osoblja u kancelariji nacionalnog koordinatora, vlasti nisu obezbedile sveobuhvatne policijske podatke o krivičnom gonjenju, presudama i kaznama izrečenim u predmetima trgovine ljudima.

Zaštita

Vlada je nastavila saradnju sa nevladinim orgnizacijama na pružanju pomoći žrtvama, ali nije obezbedila sredstva za nevladine organizacije koje žrtvama trgovine ljudima pružaju usluge kao što su savetovanje, pravna pomoć i programi reintegracije. Agencija za koordinaciju zaštite žrtava trgovine ljudima izvestila je da je 2007. identifikovano 60 žrtava, uključujući 26 maloletnika; 48 od ovih 60 žrtava su Srbi. Prema nevladinim organizacijama u Srbiji, vlasti su ohrabrivale žrtve na saradnju u istragama i krivičnom gonjenju trgovaca ljudima; 90 procenata žrtava navodno je učestvovalo u istragama o licima čije su žrtve trgovine ljudima bili. Međutim, mnoge žrtve odbijaju da svedoče na sudu iz straha od odmazde koju bi doživeli od trgovaca čije su žrtve bili. Vlasti su tokom godine primenile Zakon o zaštiti svedoka iz 2006. kako bi zaštitile samo jednu žrtvu trgovine ljudima. Prema podacima nevladinih organizacija, žrtve trgovine ljudima često su direktno ili indirektno prisiljene da svedoče protiv trgovaca ljudima a u nekim sudovima i dalje se pokazuje neosetljivost prema žrtvama trgovine ljudima pošto se zakazuje da se žrtve i optuženi trgovci istovremeno pojave na sudu uprkos prigovorima žrtava. Srpski zakon dozvoljava žrtvama da pokrenu građanske parnice protiv trgovaca čije su žrtve bile u cilju nadoknade štete, ali do marta 2008. nijedna žrtva trgovine ljudima nije dobila odštetu. Žrtve koje pokrenu krivični postupak ili građansku parnicu imaju pravo na privremenu boravišnu dozvolu i mogu se zaposliti ili napustiti zemlju do početka sudskog postupka. Vlasti su 2007. godine izdale privremene boravišne dozvole za ukupno šest žrtava. Identifikovane žrtve se ne pritvaraju, ne zatvaraju, niti se krivično gone, a nisu ni na neki drugi način kažnjene za nezakonita dela koja su direktna posledica toga što su upravo žrtve trgovine ljudima. Međutim, jedna nevladina organizacija izvestila je da 2007. godine vlasti nisu uspele da identifikuju neke žrtve trgovine ljudima što je dovelo do njihovog hapšenja, pritvora i kasnije deportacije. Kako bi rešili ovo pitanje, vlasti su proširile program obuke za policijske službenike.
Godine 2007. trideset sedam žrtava trgovine ljudima primljeno je u dva skloništa nevladinih organizacija, 21 u kratkoročno sklonište i 16 u tranzitni smeštaj (uključujući dve bebe). Usluge koje se tiču reintegracije pružene su za 47 žena i četiri muškarca (uključujući 22 dece). U periodu na koji se izveštaj odnosi, 11 novih opština osnovalo je timove za pružanje socijalne pomoći koje sačinjavaju socijalni radnici, policija i osoblje nevladinih organizacija s ciljem pružanja pomoći potencijalnim žrtvama porodičnog nasilja i trgovine ljudima.

Prevencija

Vlada Srbije pokazala je neujednačene napore u preventivnim aktivnostima u 2007. Vlasti tek treba da započnu primenu Nacionalne strategije za borbu protiv trgovine ljudima koja je usvojena decembra 2006. Štaviše, državni antitrafiking tim zadužen da predvodi napore Srbije protiv trgovine ljudima sastao se samo jednom tokom godine. Međutim, vlada je tokom godine povećala obrazovne programe o prevenciji i 2007. pokrenula prikupljanje sredstava namenjenih Agenciji za koordinaciju. Takođe je bila pokrovitelj jednomesečnog ciklusa emisija o borbi protiv trgovine ljudima koje su se emitovale u oktobru 2007. Premda je vlada okončala tekst projekta kojem je namenjeno 100.000 dolara za televizijsku seriju od 13 epizoda pod nazivom „Moderno ropstvo”, nevladine organizacije su izrazile zabrinutost u pogledu završetka rada na seriji. Vlada nije vodila kampanje o podizanju svesti namenjene smanjenju potražnje za komercijalnim seksom.

back to top ^