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Human Trafficking & Modern-day Slavery In the early years
of the 21st Century gvnet.com/humantrafficking/Malta.htm
Malta is a destination country for women
from Russia, Ukraine, Romania, and other European countries trafficked for
the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation. In addition, irregular
migrants from African countries arrive in Malta en route to Italy and
elsewhere and may be vulnerable to human trafficking. - U.S. State Dept
Trafficking in Persons Report, June, 2009 [full country report] |
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CAUTION: The following links
have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in ***
FEATURED ARTICLE *** The www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=61224 [accessed 20 February 2011] The Cabinet has
approved the ratification of six international conventions. These are: The
Convention for Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between European
Union Member States of 29 May, 2000, and the relevant protocol, the protocol
for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, on the Sale of
Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography; the European Council’s
Convention on Money Laundering, and the Financing of Terrorism; The United
Nations Convention against Corruption; the Convention for the Protection of
Financial Instruments of the European Communities, and the relevant
protocols; and the European Council’s Convention for Action against Human
Trafficking. ***
ARCHIVES *** UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in
Persons
[PDF] UN Office on Drugs and Crime UNODC &
Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking UN.GIFT, February 2009 www.unodc.org/documents/Global_Report_on_TIP.pdf [accessed 20 February 2011] [page 264] SERVICES PROVIDED TO
VICTIMS
- The State provides legal protection, temporary stay permits, medical/psychosocial
support and housing/shelter exist to support victims of trafficking in
persons who cooperate with the law enforcement authorities. ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
- All the victims identified in 2006 and 2007 were trafficked for sexual
exploitation. Victims originated from Human Rights
Reports » 2005 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61663.htm [accessed 20 February 2011] TRAFFICKING
IN PERSONS
– Reliable law enforcement sources reported that women were recruited for
prostitution from eastern European countries and essentially
"purchased" by Maltese men, sometimes pimps intent on exploiting
them for commercial sex or by individuals for exploitative sex only with the
purchaser. These women were often "sold" to other pimps or
individuals who then continue the cycle; it is typical for a woman to be
"sold" every three months under these schemes. The victims of this
type of sexual exploitation will typically arrive in the country legally on a
tourist visa and often with understanding that they will be employed in the
sex trade. The degree of the cooperation of these victims with the
"purchasing schemes" once they arrive in the country, or whether
any coercion or force was used to ensure that they remained in this trade,
was unknown. Publication of anti-human trafficking
action plan ‘imminent’ David Lindsay, The www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=133003 [accessed 3 October 2011] Between 2002 and
2010, there were 10 cases of human trafficking in Malta ratifies treaty banning sale,
prostitution of children during annual UN event UN News Centre, 28 September 2010 www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=36261&Cr=treaties&Cr1= [accessed 20 February 2011] A top United
Nations official today hailed The treaty, one of
two Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, extends
the obligations of States parties to guarantee the protection of children
from sale, pornography and prostitution, through explicit prohibition of
these acts in their laws. It strengthens the
protection of the rights of child victims and consolidates international
cooperation to fight impunity for crimes against children, including the sale
of children, trafficking and sexual exploitation. The www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=61224 [accessed 20 February 2011] The Cabinet has
approved the ratification of six international conventions. These are: The
Convention for Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between European
Union Member States of 29 May, 2000, and the relevant protocol, the protocol
for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, on the Sale of
Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography; the European Council’s
Convention on Money Laundering, and the Financing of Terrorism; The United
Nations Convention against Corruption; the Convention for the Protection of
Financial Instruments of the European Communities, and the relevant
protocols; and the European Council’s Convention for Action against Human
Trafficking. Renewed call for David Lindsay, The www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=59710 [accessed 20 February 2011] Despite Malta being
placed right in the centre of one of the world’s densest human trafficking centres, the Mediterranean, it still has to sign the declaration,
which sets out a range of minimum requirements that states must conform with
in order to respect and protect the rights of trafficked persons. In Malta, there has
been a noted prevalence of foreign women being forced into prostitution in
recent years. Criminals responsible for the practice, usually operating under
the radar in the underbelly of Maltese society, are also said to buy and sell
such women through “owners” simply by exchanging the passports of such
exploited women. “Frequently,” Amnesty
International points out, “their rights to physical and mental integrity;
liberty and security of the person; freedom from slavery, slavery-like
practices, torture and other inhuman or degrading treatment; family life;
freedom of movement; privacy; the highest attainable standard of health; and
safe and secure housing are violated.” But rather than
being treated as victims, when trafficked persons come to the attention of
the authorities they are typically treated as criminals, illegal immigrants
or as tools for the judicial system as authorities seek to bring charges
against traffickers. Palestinian man wanted in Juan Ameen, The www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=56430 [accessed 20 February 2011] A 42-year-old
Palestinian man was arraigned under arrest after the Maltese authorities
received a European Arrest Warrant asking for his extradition to face charges
in Prosecuting
inspector Chris Pullicino told the court that on 23
March 2005, a number of Chinese migrants were abandoned in the waters between
Malta and Sicily. One of these identified Mr Ebeid. Furthermore, he added, six Chinese migrants had
died as a result. Italian police disrupt Chinese human
trafficking ring The www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=55325 [accessed 20 February 2011] Italian police have
arrested five people of Chinese origin who are said to have been involved in
an organisation that allegedly arranged to bring
irregular migrants to Residence permits for immigrants who snitch
on human traffickers Matthew Vella, archive.maltatoday.com.mt/2007/07/15/n9.html [accessed 20 February 2011] The government will
be offering a temporary residence permit to immigrants who cooperate with the
authorities in the fight against human trafficking, in a bid to retain key
informants on the island for the duration of their investigations. A legal notice published this week
introduced a six-month renewable residence permit for persons described as
“victims of trafficking and illegal immigration” who are ready to cooperate
with the police in investigations into illegal immigration networks. They will be generally expected to furnish
the police with names of traffickers, their accomplices and details related
to departure points, information witch will contribute significantly to the
tracing and prosecution of traffickers. EPP leader urges crackdown on human
trafficking Martin Banks, August 3, 2007 -- Source:
www.eupolitix.com www.impetuseurope.com/news/index.cfm?ID=1397&xMonth=All&xYear=All&xPage=68 [accessed 20 February 2011] The leader of
parliament’s biggest group has called on the European commission to
'immediately' resume a scheme aimed at combating human trafficking into "It appears
that the mission has been effective in reducing the number of illegal
immigrants heading to Malta," said EPP leader Joseph Daul.
"Certainly, when one compares the latest figures to those in the
same period in June, the number of arrivals in Malta are
50 per cent down." Over recent years,
the Mediterranean has been experiencing an increasing number of crossings
from the northern shores of Africa, with Malta being directly on the
route. Uncounted numbers die every
year. Patrols ‘deterring human trafficking’ - All
year round mission from January - Frattini Herman Grech,
Times of www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20070706/local/patrols-deterring-human-trafficking [accessed 20 February 2011] The flow of illegal
migrants in the Four boats with a
total of 99 immigrants on board were stopped by Frontex
vessels since the start of the operation on June 25, but three of the boats
decided to venture to Malta and another to Lampedusa,
Mr Laitinen said. Mr Frattini did not mince words and reminded home affairs
ministers from 19 member states that they had committed to contribute a total
of 115 boats, 25 helicopters and 25 aircraft for patrol missions. The commissioner, however, refused to
single out any particular culprit and instead poured praise on the Maltese
forces. Asked whether he stood by
critical comments levelled at Malta last May in the
aftermath of the notorious tuna pen incident, when migrants were forced to
cling on to the pen for three days, he replied vaguely: “It’s impossible for
Malta to patrol the region alone. While it’s absolutely necessary to save
human life, I have to acknowledge that Malta still deserves our help. From
May until now, the situation is changing. My idea is to help Malta, not to
blame it.” Court: Man charged with human trafficking The www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=51201 [accessed 20 February 2011] A 32-year-old man
from Court: Romanian woman charged with human
trafficking Juan Ameen, The www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=43817 [accessed 20 February 2011] A 22-year-old
Romanian woman, residing in Chinese man jailed six months for
involvement in human trafficking di-ve news, At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here]
[accessed 8 September 2011] [scroll down] A 35-year-old
Chinese man was sentenced for six months imprisonment after he admitted to
being involved in the trafficking of human persons to and from In the Law Courts The www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=42271 [accessed 20 February 2011] Five Chinese
nationals were charged yesterday with involvement in the trafficking of human
beings and with assisting people to leave Freedom House Country Report - Political Rights: 1 Civil Liberties: 1 Status: Free 2009 Editiion www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2009/malta [accessed 27 June 2012] 20 charged with human trafficking, 83
refused entry to Malta MaltaMedia, May 3, 2005 www.maltamedia.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=13&num=5914 [accessed 20 February 2011] The minister said that out of the 20 persons charged for human trafficking, nine were sentenced. Of these, only three were handed a prison term. The rest were given a suspended sentence. Article 5 Prohibition of
Slavery and Forced Labour European Parliament Committee on Citizens'
Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs www.europarl.europa.eu/comparl/libe/elsj/charter/art05/default_en.htm [accessed 20 February 2011] 6. NATIONAL LAWS CONSTITUTION OF MALTA - Article 35 (1) No person shall be required to perform forced labour. All
material used herein reproduced under the fair use exception of 17 USC § 107
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