PACE PRESIDENT URGED COE MEMBER STATES TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.03.2006 20:44 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ With a view to the International Women’s Day,
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly President Rene van der Linden
today urged the organization’s member states as well as the European
Community to adhere to the Convention on action against trafficking
in human beings. “Whilst fully supporting all current initiatives
for a ‘red card to forced prostitution’, I hope we can avoid yellow
cards for our member states for not having taken the necessary legal
action to prevent trafficking in general, and forced prostitution in
particular,” he said. Mr. van der Linden stressed that after drugs and
arms, trafficking in human beings represents the third most lucrative
criminal business. Estimates of the number of victims vary from 120
000 to 500 000. “In Europe, trafficking in human beings is above
all synonymous with forced prostitution. This form of modern-day
slavery replaces chains by rape, psychological terror and complete
dependence through the deprivation of the women’s personal and civil
identity. These are unbearable facts.
Forced prostitution is a crime and a blatant violation of human
rights,” Mr van der Linden said. “On the occasion of this year’s
World Cup in Germany, a strong temporary rise in the demand for
sexual services is expected. This represents a considerable risk of
an increase in forced prostitution,” he added. “The Council of Europe
Convention on action against trafficking in human beings offers the
necessary legal means to prosecute traffickers, to better protect
victims, safeguard their rights and to fight trafficking. It was opened
for signature on 16 May 2005, but has so far been signed by only 25
out of the 46 member states and not ratified by any member state. It
is high time to take resolute action. As the organizer of the World
Cup, Germany could take the lead and set an example by ratifying the
Convention,” Rene van der Linden concluded.