OSCE organizes seminar on human trafficking in Armenia

YEREVAN, 26 October 2005 - Ways to identify victims of human trafficking in Armenia will be the focus of an OSCE-organized seminar in Yerevan tomorrow, which will bring together representatives of law enforcement agencies and civil society.

They will discuss setting up a national referral mechanism, making sure it observes the human rights of the victims, as well as international practices in the field.

"Quite often victims of trafficking are jailed for prostitution or on other charges and require protection, as well as moral and psychological support," said Ambassador Pryakhin, Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

"A well-established practice of victim identification can help those in need, and so it is one of the most important components of ensuring the effective operation of a national referral mechanism."

The event is co-organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the U.S. State Department and the Armenian Anti-Trafficking Inter-Agency Commission.