Human trafficking in Kazakhstan
Encyclopedia
Kazakhstan
is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and girls
trafficked
from Uzbekistan
, Kyrgyzstan
, Tajikistan
, and Ukraine
to Kazakhstan and on to Russia
and the United Arab Emirates
(U.A.E.) for purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor in the construction and agricultural industries. Kazakhstani men and women are trafficked internally and to the U.A.E., Azerbaijan
, Turkey
, Israel
, Greece
, Russia, and Germany
and the United States
for purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation.
The Government of Kazakhstan
does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. Kazakhstan demonstrated increasing efforts to combat trafficking over the previous year, specifically by improving efforts to convict and sentence traffickers to time in prison. The number of traffickers convicted in 2007 significantly increased, and the majority of convicted traffickers served adequate sentences in prison. The government also took steps to address government officials’ complicity in trafficking. Kazakhstan allocated nearly $35,000 for victim assistance during 2007.
, which prescribe penalties of up to 15 years’ imprisonment – penalties sufficiently stringent and commensurate with those prescribed for other grave crimes, such as rape. Police conducted 22 trafficking investigations and initiated 16 prosecution cases in 2007, compared to 13 investigations and seven prosecutions in 2006. Courts convicted 19 trafficking offenders in 2007, a significant improvement from one conviction in 2006. Of the 19 convicted trafficking offenders, one was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment, four were sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, five were sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment, four were sentenced to six years’ imprisonment, two were sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, and three were sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. During the year there were reports of trafficking complicity of some border guards, migration police, prosecutors, and police. The government prosecuted three corrupt police officials, including the former head of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Unit in Almaty
. One officer was sentenced to six years and six months’ imprisonment and two officers fled authorities and remained in hiding at the time of this report.
patterns for evidence of trafficking. The government did not implement measures to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts during the reporting period. Kazakhstan has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol.
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and girls
Trafficking of children
Trafficking of children is a form of human trafficking. It is defined as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receiving of children for the purpose of exploitation....
trafficked
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
from Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
, Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states . Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east...
, Tajikistan
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
, and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
to Kazakhstan and on to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
(U.A.E.) for purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor in the construction and agricultural industries. Kazakhstani men and women are trafficked internally and to the U.A.E., Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Russia, and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation.
The Government of Kazakhstan
Government of Kazakhstan
The Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan oversees a presidential republic. The President of Kazakhstan, currently Nursultan Nazarbayev, is head of state and nominates the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government...
does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. Kazakhstan demonstrated increasing efforts to combat trafficking over the previous year, specifically by improving efforts to convict and sentence traffickers to time in prison. The number of traffickers convicted in 2007 significantly increased, and the majority of convicted traffickers served adequate sentences in prison. The government also took steps to address government officials’ complicity in trafficking. Kazakhstan allocated nearly $35,000 for victim assistance during 2007.
Prosecution
The Kazakhstan government made significant progress in its anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts over the reporting period. Kazakhstan prohibits trafficking in persons for both labor and sexual exploitation through Articles 128, 133, 125(3)(b), 126(3)(b), and 270 of its penal codeParliament of Kazakhstan
The Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan is the bicameral legislature of Kazakhstan, according to the 1995 Constitution of Kazakhstan. The lower house is the Majilis, with 77 seats, elected to four year terms, 67 in single seat constituencies and 10 by proportional representation...
, which prescribe penalties of up to 15 years’ imprisonment – penalties sufficiently stringent and commensurate with those prescribed for other grave crimes, such as rape. Police conducted 22 trafficking investigations and initiated 16 prosecution cases in 2007, compared to 13 investigations and seven prosecutions in 2006. Courts convicted 19 trafficking offenders in 2007, a significant improvement from one conviction in 2006. Of the 19 convicted trafficking offenders, one was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment, four were sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, five were sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment, four were sentenced to six years’ imprisonment, two were sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, and three were sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. During the year there were reports of trafficking complicity of some border guards, migration police, prosecutors, and police. The government prosecuted three corrupt police officials, including the former head of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Unit in Almaty
Almaty
Almaty , also known by its former names Verny and Alma-Ata , is the former capital of Kazakhstan and the nation's largest city, with a population of 1,348,500...
. One officer was sentenced to six years and six months’ imprisonment and two officers fled authorities and remained in hiding at the time of this report.
Protection
The government improved efforts to assist and protect victims during the year. The law provides that victims are not penalized for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked; however, NGOs continued to report that some victims, as the result of not being identified by authorities, were detained in jail and prevented from leaving the country for periods ranging from a few days to several months. NGOs reported that while law enforcement officials have improved their use of formal procedures to identify victims among vulnerable populations, some labor trafficking victims remain unidentified. In 2007, the police formally identified 87 victims of labor trafficking and 25 victims of commercial sexual exploitation. The government permitted identified victims to remain in Kazakhstan for the duration of the criminal investigation. Many victims refuse to testify for fear of retribution and Kazakhstan has not devoted sufficient resources to address the physical safety of the identified trafficking victim.Prevention
The government conducted active public awareness efforts. In 2007, the government funded the production of approximately 3,000 booklets that were distributed by NGOs among groups vulnerable to trafficking, including people in rural areas and school children. The government provided at least $12,500 for anti-trafficking NGOs to conduct awareness campaigns during the reporting period. The government monitors formal migrationHuman migration
Human migration is physical movement by humans from one area to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups. Historically this movement was nomadic, often causing significant conflict with the indigenous population and their displacement or cultural assimilation. Only a few nomadic...
patterns for evidence of trafficking. The government did not implement measures to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts during the reporting period. Kazakhstan has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol.