Newsroom
OSCE Mission expresses concern about recent Montenegro report on human trafficking case
BELGRADE 30 November 2004
BELGRADE, 30 November 2004 - The Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro has expressed his disappointment with the findings of a Montenegrin government report into a human trafficking case.
"The findings of the Commission do not respond to the issues of the general functioning of the police and judicial system raised in the joint OSCE-Council of Europe report," said Ambassador Maurizio Massari.
A Commission was appointed by the Montenegrin government in April 2004 to investigate the actions of the Montenegrin police in a case involving the trafficking of a Moldovan woman. The case, which has received extensive media coverage, involved allegations by the Moldovan citizen who claimed in late 2001 that she had been transported and held against her will in Montenegro for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Her statements implicated a number of senior government officials.
The report of the Commission, which was leaked to the Montenegrin media last week, also made a number of derogatory references to the character of the Moldovan woman.
"Human trafficking is a serious human rights violation. National authorities are therefore obliged to treat such persons as victims, not as criminals," Massari added.
"The way the report deals with the character of the Moldovan citizen is not helpful in efforts to address and combat such forms of organized crime in Montenegro."
The OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro is working with local police forces and judicial authorities in both Serbia and Montenegro to improve the local capacities to combat human trafficking. This includes training officials in the proper identification of victims and creating a national referral mechanism for their protection.
"The findings of the Commission do not respond to the issues of the general functioning of the police and judicial system raised in the joint OSCE-Council of Europe report," said Ambassador Maurizio Massari.
A Commission was appointed by the Montenegrin government in April 2004 to investigate the actions of the Montenegrin police in a case involving the trafficking of a Moldovan woman. The case, which has received extensive media coverage, involved allegations by the Moldovan citizen who claimed in late 2001 that she had been transported and held against her will in Montenegro for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Her statements implicated a number of senior government officials.
The report of the Commission, which was leaked to the Montenegrin media last week, also made a number of derogatory references to the character of the Moldovan woman.
"Human trafficking is a serious human rights violation. National authorities are therefore obliged to treat such persons as victims, not as criminals," Massari added.
"The way the report deals with the character of the Moldovan citizen is not helpful in efforts to address and combat such forms of organized crime in Montenegro."
The OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro is working with local police forces and judicial authorities in both Serbia and Montenegro to improve the local capacities to combat human trafficking. This includes training officials in the proper identification of victims and creating a national referral mechanism for their protection.