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The Committee notes that the Government’s report contains no reply to previous comments. It must therefore repeat its previous observation which read as follows:

Trafficking in persons

The Committee has noted the Government’s reply to a communication dated 2 September 2002 of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) submitting comments concerning the problem of trafficking in persons for the purpose of sexual and labour exploitation.

The ICFTU alleged that thousands of persons were trafficked from the Russian Federation to other countries, including Canada, China, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Spain, Thailand and the United States. The victims often find themselves in debt bondage as they owe the traffickers recruitment and transport costs which are then inflated with charges for food, accommodation and interest on the debt. It is also alleged that internal trafficking within the Russian Federation is taking place; women are generally forced to work as prostitutes while men are trafficked into agricultural or construction work. There are also said to be confirmed cases of children being trafficked for sexual exploitation.

The ICFTU considered that the absence of specific anti-trafficking legislation and the lack of specialized training in law enforcement were serious impediments to preventing people from being subjected to trafficking and forced labour, and that the lack of adequate resources available for providing support and assistance to victims who have returned to the Russian Federation leaves them vulnerable to being re-trafficked.

The Committee has noted from the Government’s reply that the Criminal Code contains provisions punishing trafficking in minors (section 152), as well as abduction (section 126) and various sexual crimes (sections 132 and 133). It has noted with interest the ratification by the Russian Federation of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182). The Committee has also noted that the Russian Federation has signed the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its supplementing Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children.

The Committee has noted the Government’s indications in the report concerning the practical measures to combat trafficking in women taken in cooperation with the neighbouring States, e.g. within the framework of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, and joint police operations conducted to liberate girls who were trafficked and illegally detained in Turkey, Greece and Italy in 2000-02. The report also contains information on the development of a network of shelters and other measures to protect the victims of trafficking, as well as on the awareness-raising campaign launched in collaboration with the media and NGOs.

The Committee has noted the elaboration of a draft Law on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings which provides for a system of bodies to combat trafficking and contains provisions concerning prevention of trafficking, as well as protection and rehabilitation of victims. As regards punishment of perpetrators, the Committee has noted the Government’s indications concerning the amendments introduced to the Criminal Code, which define crimes related to trafficking and provides for severe sanctions of imprisonment. The Committee hopes that the new Law on combating trafficking will soon be adopted, and that the Government will supply a copy thereof for examination by the Committee. The Committee would also appreciate it if the Government would continue to provide information on the practical measures taken or envisaged to combat trafficking in human beings with a view to eliminating it.

The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the very near future.