Combating human trafficking, migrant smuggling in Central Asia focus of OSCE workshop

TASHKENT, 14 May 2008 - Building capacity of national criminal justice systems in Central Asia and improving co-operation and information exchange between investigative agencies and central authorities are the aims of a two-day workshop that opened in Tashkent today.

It brings together government representatives and experts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Israel, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and the United States.

"The workshop will help enhance co-operation between the authorities from Central Asian countries and other source and destination countries," said Manuel Marion, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Strategic Police Matters Unit.

"We are glad to see so many experts here who are directly involved in the law enforcement co-operation to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling."

The workshop, "Promoting Law Enforcement and Judicial Co-operation among Source, Transit and Destination Countries to Combat Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling to and from Central Asia", was organized by the OSCE Strategic Police Matters Unit, the Office of the Special Representative for Combating Human Trafficking, the Organization's Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and supported by the Uzbek authorities.

Participants will discuss UN instruments, tools and best practices in fighting migrant smuggling and perpetrators of human trafficking, the consequences of deportation and the need for effective and timely victim identification procedures, the rights of trafficked persons, extradition and deportation casework practices, and domestic legal frameworks.

"Internal and external co-operation and information-sharing among law enforcement agencies is a key component in the fight against human trafficking and migrant smuggling. This workshop will help remove impediments for effective judicial and law enforcement co-operation in the region," said Marion.

The workshop was mainly financed by the Government of Norway.