OSCE Special Representative welcomes recent steps by Czech Republic to step up fight against human trafficking

The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Madina Jarbussynova on 21 January 2016 commended the Czech Republic for a number of moves to intensify anti-trafficking efforts.

“I was pleased to hear that the Czech Republic has reopened a case of possible exploitation in the forestry sector and that the National Co-ordinator is preparing its anti-trafficking strategy for 2016-2019,” Jarbussynova said.

During the visit, Jarbussynova met with First Deputy Minister of Interior Jiří Nováček and the Deputy Justice Minister Michal Franěk, who informed her about the details of a recent decision by the Supreme Court to reopen a police investigation into the alleged exploitation of hundreds of mainly Vietnamese forestry labourers known as the “Tree Workers Case.”

The Special Representative also met with a number of other officials in the Police Presidium and the Parliament, who informed her about the country’s new anti-trafficking strategy.

“The new strategy includes greater focus on combating human trafficking for labour exploitation as well as early and pro-active identification of victims and enhanced training activities for front-line officers,” Jarbussynova said. “These are very positive steps.”

This is the second part of the Special Representative’s official country visit to Czech Republic. The first part of the country visit was completed in November 2015.

The OSCE works together with participating States to eliminate human trafficking in all its forms, and Country Visits are an important part of this effort. On these assignments, the Special Representative shares knowledge and good practices in the fight to eliminate modern-day slavery and makes tailor-made recommendations to the countries visited. These recommendations are then published in an official Country Visit Report on the OSCE website.