The United States Department of State on July 19, 2022, published an annual report on the evaluation of measures taken by states against human trafficking worldwide.
According to the published report, Georgia is at the highest level of the evaluation of the fight against human trafficking (trafficking) and still maintains its place in the first basket, which means that the country fully meets the standards of the fight against trafficking.
The report positively evaluates the amendments made to the Criminal Code of Georgia, on the basis of which the Ministry of Internal Affairs was given the opportunity to provide victims of trafficking with witness and victim coordinator services.
According to the same document, witness and victim coordinators of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia are authorized to be involved in the case from the moment the investigation begins. In addition, during the reporting period, the coordinators of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor’s Office provided qualified assistance to 8 victims of trafficking and ten witnesses.
The report also states that there are a number of specialized anti-trafficking units operating in the country, including the Anti-Trafficking and Illegal Migration Division and 6 Mobile Teams within the Central Criminal Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The document also emphasizes the importance of the group of specialists operating in the Adjara region – the so-called Activities of the TASK FORCE, which is staffed by specialized investigators and prosecutors.
The report positively evaluates the signing of an updated memorandum between the Central Criminal Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the Labor Inspection, which aims to detect cases of forced labour through joint inspections by mobile teams and labour inspection units.
According to the published document, the functioning of the hotline in the Ministry of Internal Affairs to combat the crime of trafficking, where it is possible to make calls related to trafficking, continues to be positively evaluated.
The report emphasizes that all cadets of the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs undergo a basic training course on trafficking issues. It is also indicated that with the financial and technical support of international organizations, investigators, members of mobile groups, border police, prosecutors, labour inspectors, witnesses and victim coordinators were trained on issues of combating the crime of trafficking.
The document also talks about the fact that the Georgian authorities are unable to implement anti-trafficking measures in the occupied territories.
The report is traditionally accompanied by recommendations prepared by the US State Department, which are aimed at strengthening the fight against human trafficking and improving the protection of victims of trafficking.
