Human Trafficking in [Malta Street Children in [Malta] [other countries]Child Prostitution in [Malta] [other countries] |
Human Trafficking & Modern-day Slavery In the early years of the 21st
Century - 2000 to 2011 gvnet.com/humantrafficking/Malta.htm
Malta is a destination country for women from Russia,
Ukraine, Romania, and other European countries trafficked for the purpose of
commercial sexual exploitation. In addition, irregular migrants from African
countries arrive in Malta en route to Italy and elsewhere and may be
vulnerable to human trafficking. - U.S. State Dept Trafficking in Persons
Report, June, 2009 [full country report] |
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CAUTION: The following links have been
culled from the web to illuminate the situation in ***
FEATURED ARTICLE *** The www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=61224 [accessed 20 February 2011] The Cabinet has approved the ratification
of six international conventions. These are: The Convention for Mutual Legal
Assistance in Criminal Matters between European Union Member States of 29
May, 2000, and the relevant protocol, the protocol for the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of the Child, on the Sale of Children, Child
Prostitution and Child Pornography; the European Council’s Convention on
Money Laundering, and the Financing of Terrorism; The United Nations
Convention against Corruption; the Convention for the Protection of Financial
Instruments of the European Communities, and the relevant protocols; and the
European Council’s Convention for Action against Human Trafficking. ***
ARCHIVES *** UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons [PDF] UN Office on Drugs and Crime UNODC & Global Initiative
to Fight Human Trafficking UN.GIFT, February 2009 www.unodc.org/documents/Global_Report_on_TIP.pdf [accessed 20 February 2011] [page 264] SERVICES PROVIDED TO VICTIMS - The State provides legal
protection, temporary stay permits, medical/psychosocial support and
housing/shelter exist to support victims of trafficking in persons who
cooperate with the law enforcement authorities. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - All the victims identified in
2006 and 2007 were trafficked for sexual exploitation. Victims originated from Human Rights Reports » 2005
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61663.htm [accessed 20 February 2011] TRAFFICKING
IN PERSONS – Reliable
law enforcement sources reported that women were recruited for prostitution
from eastern European countries and essentially "purchased" by
Maltese men, sometimes pimps intent on exploiting them for commercial sex or
by individuals for exploitative sex only with the purchaser. These women were
often "sold" to other pimps or individuals who then continue the
cycle; it is typical for a woman to be "sold" every three months
under these schemes. The victims of this type of sexual exploitation will
typically arrive in the country legally on a tourist visa and often with
understanding that they will be employed in the sex trade. The degree of the
cooperation of these victims with the "purchasing schemes" once
they arrive in the country, or whether any coercion or force was used to
ensure that they remained in this trade, was unknown. Publication of anti-human trafficking action plan
‘imminent’ David Lindsay, The www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=133003 [accessed 3 October 2011] Between 2002 and 2010, there were
10 cases of human trafficking in Malta ratifies treaty banning sale, prostitution of
children during annual UN event UN News Centre, 28 September 2010 www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=36261&Cr=treaties&Cr1= [accessed 20 February 2011] A top United Nations official
today hailed The treaty, one of two Optional
Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, extends the
obligations of States parties to guarantee the protection of children from
sale, pornography and prostitution, through explicit prohibition of these
acts in their laws. It strengthens the protection of
the rights of child victims and consolidates international cooperation to
fight impunity for crimes against children, including the sale of children,
trafficking and sexual exploitation. The www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=61224 [accessed 20 February 2011] The Cabinet has approved the
ratification of six international conventions. These are: The Convention for
Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between European Union Member
States of 29 May, 2000, and the relevant protocol, the protocol for the
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, on the Sale of
Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography; the European Council’s
Convention on Money Laundering, and the Financing of Terrorism; The United
Nations Convention against Corruption; the Convention for the Protection of
Financial Instruments of the European Communities, and the relevant
protocols; and the European Council’s Convention for Action against Human
Trafficking. Renewed call for David Lindsay, The www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=59710 [accessed 20 February 2011] Despite Malta being placed right
in the centre of one of the world’s densest human trafficking centres, the Mediterranean, it still has to sign the
declaration, which sets out a range of minimum requirements that states must
conform with in order to respect and protect the rights of trafficked
persons. In Malta, there has been a noted
prevalence of foreign women being forced into prostitution in recent years.
Criminals responsible for the practice, usually operating under the radar in
the underbelly of Maltese society, are also said to buy and sell such women
through “owners” simply by exchanging the passports of such exploited women. “Frequently,” Amnesty
International points out, “their rights to physical and mental integrity;
liberty and security of the person; freedom from slavery, slavery-like
practices, torture and other inhuman or degrading treatment; family life;
freedom of movement; privacy; the highest attainable standard of health; and
safe and secure housing are violated.” But rather than being treated as
victims, when trafficked persons come to the attention of the authorities
they are typically treated as criminals, illegal immigrants or as tools for
the judicial system as authorities seek to bring charges against traffickers. Palestinian man wanted in Juan Ameen, The www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=56430 [accessed 20 February 2011] A 42-year-old Palestinian man was
arraigned under arrest after the Maltese authorities received a European
Arrest Warrant asking for his extradition to face charges in Prosecuting inspector Chris Pullicino told the court that on 23 March 2005, a number
of Chinese migrants were abandoned in the waters between Malta and Sicily.
One of these identified Mr Ebeid.
Furthermore, he added, six Chinese migrants had died as a result. Italian police disrupt Chinese human trafficking ring The www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=55325 [accessed 20 February 2011] Italian police have arrested five
people of Chinese origin who are said to have been involved in an organisation that allegedly arranged to bring irregular
migrants to Residence permits for immigrants who snitch on human
traffickers Matthew Vella, archive.maltatoday.com.mt/2007/07/15/n9.html [accessed 20 February 2011] The government will be offering a
temporary residence permit to immigrants who cooperate with the authorities
in the fight against human trafficking, in a bid to retain key informants on
the island for the duration of their investigations. A legal notice published this week
introduced a six-month renewable residence permit for persons described as
“victims of trafficking and illegal immigration” who are ready to cooperate
with the police in investigations into illegal immigration networks. They will be generally expected to furnish
the police with names of traffickers, their accomplices and details related
to departure points, information witch will contribute significantly to the
tracing and prosecution of traffickers. EPP leader urges crackdown on human trafficking Martin Banks, August 3, 2007 -- Source: www.eupolitix.com www.impetuseurope.com/news/index.cfm?ID=1397&xMonth=All&xYear=All&xPage=68 [accessed 20 February 2011] The leader of parliament’s biggest
group has called on the European commission to 'immediately' resume a
scheme aimed at combating human trafficking into "It appears that the mission
has been effective in reducing the number of illegal immigrants heading to
Malta," said EPP leader Joseph Daul. "Certainly, when one compares the
latest figures to those in the same period in June, the number of
arrivals in Malta are 50 per cent down." Over recent years, the
Mediterranean has been experiencing an increasing number of crossings from
the northern shores of Africa, with Malta being directly on the route. Uncounted numbers die every year. Patrols ‘deterring human trafficking’ - All year round
mission from January - Frattini Herman Grech, Times of www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20070706/local/patrols-deterring-human-trafficking [accessed 20 February 2011] The flow of illegal migrants in
the Four boats with a total of 99
immigrants on board were stopped by Frontex vessels
since the start of the operation on June 25, but three of the boats decided
to venture to Malta and another to Lampedusa, Mr Laitinen said. Mr Frattini
did not mince words and reminded home affairs ministers from 19 member states
that they had committed to contribute a total of 115 boats, 25 helicopters
and 25 aircraft for patrol missions.
The commissioner, however, refused to single out any particular
culprit and instead poured praise on the Maltese forces. Asked whether he stood by critical comments
levelled at Malta last May in the aftermath of the
notorious tuna pen incident, when migrants were forced to cling on to the pen
for three days, he replied vaguely: “It’s impossible for Malta to patrol the
region alone. While it’s absolutely necessary to save human life, I have to
acknowledge that Malta still deserves our help. From May until now, the
situation is changing. My idea is to help Malta, not to blame it.” Court: Man charged with human trafficking The www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=51201 [accessed 20 February 2011] A 32-year-old man from Court: Romanian woman charged with human trafficking Juan Ameen, The www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=43817 [accessed 20 February 2011] A 22-year-old Romanian woman,
residing in Chinese man jailed six months for involvement in human
trafficking di-ve news, At one time this article had been archived and may
possibly still be accessible [here]
[accessed 8 September 2011] [scroll down] A 35-year-old Chinese man was
sentenced for six months imprisonment after he admitted to being involved in
the trafficking of human persons to and from In the Law Courts The www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=42271 [accessed 20 February 2011] Five Chinese nationals were
charged yesterday with involvement in the trafficking of human beings and
with assisting people to leave Freedom House Country Report - Political Rights: 1 Civil Liberties: 1 Status: Free 2009 Editiion www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=363&year=2009&country=7657 [accessed 20 February 2011] 20 charged with human trafficking, 83 refused entry to MaltaMedia, May 3, 2005 www.maltamedia.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=13&num=5914 [accessed 20 February 2011] The minister said that out of the 20 persons charged for human trafficking, nine were sentenced. Of these, only three were handed a prison term. The rest were given a suspended sentence. Article 5 Prohibition of Slavery and Forced
Labour European Parliament Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and
Rights, Justice and Home Affairs www.europarl.europa.eu/comparl/libe/elsj/charter/art05/default_en.htm [accessed 20 February 2011] 6. NATIONAL LAWS CONSTITUTION OF MALTA - Article 35 (1) No person shall be required to perform forced labour. All material used herein
reproduced under the fair use exception of 17 USC § 107 for noncommercial,
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Cite this webpage as: Patt, Prof. Martin, "Human Trafficking
& Modern-day Slavery - |
Human Trafficking in [Malta Street Children in [Malta] [other countries]Child Prostitution in [Malta] [other countries]