OSCE Special Representative visits Iceland, praises protection efforts for Ukrainian refugees and calls for greater vigilance to tackle online exploitation

REYKJAVIK, 13 October 2022 –Valiant Richey, OSCE Special Representative for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, concluded his two-day visit to Iceland. He noted positive efforts the country made in combating human trafficking in recent years, and encouraged authorities to  enhance their work on evolving threats, such as online exploitation.

During the visit, Richey met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, and high-level representatives from the Ministries of Justice, Foreign Affairs, Labor and Social Welfare, as well as the National Police Commissioner and other key anti-trafficking stakeholders, including civil society and the national anti-trafficking commission.

Since his last visit to Iceland in 2019, Richey noted the progress made on anti-trafficking efforts. “The recent adoption of a law that covers more forms of exploitation and is easier to apply is welcomed, and it is encouraging that 2022 witnessed Iceland’s first trafficking in conviction in more than a decade,” he said.

However, OSCE Special Representative emphasized that investigation and prosecution rates still remain too low in comparison to the number of estimated victims. “Authorities should step up their efforts on proactive identification of victims, including online, as well as training of police and prosecutors to ensure they have the expertise to tackle this evolving crime.”

Following the visit, representatives of the Office of the Special Representative conducted a series of technical workshops for members of Iceland’s anti-trafficking community in order to strengthen domestic systems of prevention, protection and prosecution. These included a one-day session to assist Icelandic authorities in implementing the anti-trafficking policy recommendations the Office issued in early March to respond to the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

The Office of the Special Representative also held a half-day meeting with members of Iceland’s Working Group for its National Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings. The discussion focused on how Iceland can modernize its National Action Plan to respond to the evolving nature of human trafficking.