Press Releases from and about Ukraine and Ukrainians
*****
Check other reports here:Embassy of Ukraine, Washington, DC
*****
14 July 1998
LVIV INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR FOCUSES ON STRATEGIC FOR COMBATING MODERN SLAVERY
On July 9-10, a European and trans-Atlantic seminar was held in Lviv as the culmination of measures aimed at drawing public attention to the trafficking in women and girls. The seminar was organized at the initiative of the International Migration Organization, and was attended by representative of both government and non-governmental organizations from Ukraine, Poland, the US and 15 members of the European Union. The seminar discussed the results of the actions that have thus far been taken to combat this dirty business. They included simultaneous information campaigns in Poland and Ukraine, and recommendations on similar measures in other countries. According to information provided at the seminar, many women who left Ukraine in search of work abroad have either been forced into prostitution or are in situations close to slavery. The IMO has worked in Ukraine to assist both victims and potential victims of this illegal business. The organization has launched an aggressive information campaign, including documentary films and sociological polls, and disseminated information through local women's organizations, regional employment centers, and educational institutions. A telephone hot line also provides consultations.
*****
PMC International
PO Box 226
Manalapan, NJ 07228
t/f:732-448-0884
email: wplz@monmouth.com
Press Release
July 13, 1998
PRESS CONFERENCE JULY 20, 1998 AT 11:00 AM
RAMADA INN,
RT 10 WEST,
EAST HANOVER, NEW JERSEY
LAW ENFORCEMENT, TV AND RADIO NEWS INVITED.
CONTACT: Walter Zalisko
First US and Ukraine "Trafficking of Women" conference to be held in New Jersey
Freehold, NJ - White slavery rings have thrived on the exploitation of women from developing countries for years; rising unemployment, poverty and weakened social structures have caused the CIS countries – Ukraine and Russia in particular – to become the latest target countries for recruitment of women into sexual slavery. The recent arrests of Russian gang members by the FBI and Immigration official's highlights the seriousness of this far-reaching problem.
In a November 1997 address in L’viv, First Lady Hillary Clinton denounced trafficking in women as a fundamental "violation of human rights … nothing less than modern day slavery." The US Government has identified this problem as a priority issue.
An intensive 12-day series of training programs and activities, organized by former Monmouth County Undersheriff and current police supervisor with the Jersey City Police Department Walter Zalisko, will take place in New Jersey on July 18-31, 1998 at the Ramada Inn, located in East Hanover, New Jersey. The program, which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (AED/USAID) and hosted by Project Harmony, will bring together a delegation of twenty Ukrainians comprised of leading government officials, including representatives from police justice, social services, and American law enforcement and public officials. Monmouth County Prosecutor John Kaye will welcome and address the conference. The group will also meet with White House staff and government officials in Washington, DC. Zalisko said, "This program will provide participants with practical skills, networking opportunities and access to US and international resources."
The trafficking of women from Ukraine and other CIS countries is increasing rapidly. This form of exploitation and abuse of human rights is no longer confined to women from developing countries. Most women are recruited through friends and acquaintances but, on arrival in the destination country, many women find themselves indebted to a trafficker or club owner. Most of these traffickers are members of the Russian Mafia considered a ruthless (dis)organized group of criminals which have been operating in the New York/New Jersey area for many years. Many of the women are offered legitimate jobs and then either tricked or forced into prostitution, while others know they will work as prostitutes. Many of these young women are often beaten or murdered if they do not cooperate. The full scale of the problem remains unknown, however, because few women are prepared or able to report what has happened to them to the police. Trafficking in women continues to be a considerably under-reported offense throughout Europe and the United States. One reason for that may be the lack of experience in dealing with this issue. The goal is to foster greater international co-operation to combat illegal trafficking and organized crime in order to reduce trafficking of women.
The training program will focus on three areas: law enforcement and international legal efforts to combat trafficking; public education, prevention and support networks; and, the creation of a public-private initiative in Ukraine to combat trafficking. The goal is to provide exposure to new approaches and techniques in anti-trafficking work. Patricia Kotyk-Zalisko, a former New Jersey State Deputy Attorney General and Assistant County Prosecutor/Director an expert in her field will discuss topical areas such as Sexual Abuse, Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, Women's Rights and Violence Against Women. Interested parties are invited to attend.
*****
9 July 1998
IOM CHIEF OFFICER IN UKRAINE PRAISES UKRAINE'S STEPS TO PREVENT TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS
On July 6, John Steven Cook, Chief Officer in Ukraine of the International Organization for Migration, held a press conference in Kiev to praise the Ukrainian government for its readiness to take preventive measures in the international community's effort to curb trafficking in human beings as this century's most repulsive social phenomenon. According to Mr. Cook, Ukraine has become one of the pioneering nations in the IOM's informational campaign against smuggling of women and girls for sexploitation purposes. To appraise this early effort, an international workshop will be shortly held in Lviv, which will address possible further steps, Mr. Cook disclosed. He expressed his very favorable opinion about Ukraine's legislation which determines trade and trafficking in human beings as a criminal activity. Ms. Iryna Golubeva, Ukraine's Deputy Minister for Family and Youth issues, informed that a number of governmental and public organizations have embarked on jointly drafting the National Program for Preventing Trafficking in human beings. As it was stated at the press conference, Ukrainian women and girls are in high demand for sexploitation abroad with humanware dealers resorting to deceit in luring Ukrainian girls abroad with false offers of allegedly quite decent and highly remunerative jobs.
*****
18 June 1998
THE IMO SEMINAR ON PREVENTING TRAFFICKING IN WOMEN
An international seminar on measures for preventing trafficking in women opened in Kiev on June 16. It was organized by the International Migration Organization as part of a joint initiative by the United States and the European Union. This event is attended by representatives of several Ukrainian ministries and departments, international organizations involved in combating trafficking in women, and activists from several non-governmental organizations. The primary purpose of the seminar is to familiarize government officials with illegal migration of women and to discuss joint efforts to solve the problem. Participants in the seminar will review the current situation involving international trafficking in women and discuss the measures that the Ukrainian government needs to undertake in order to prevent this phenomenon. Particular attention will be paid to legislation aimed at protecting the victims’ human rights and international cooperation among law enforcement agencies. The seminar is part of the International Migration Organization's project entitled "Preventing Trading in Ukrainian Women: the Ukrainian Information Campaign," according to the project's coordinator Serhiy Ratushny. A similar seminar will be held in the Crimea. The conclusions and recommendations of the seminars and other activities of the International Migration Organization will be discussed at an international conference in Lviv that will focus on Ukraine's further steps to prevent illegal trafficking in women.
*****
23 April 1998
PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE SIGNS LAW ON CRIMINAL CHARGES
FOR TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS
On April 13, 1998
the President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, signed a law on criminal charges
for the trafficking in human beings, which was adopted by the Ukrainian
parliament on March 24.
As stipulated
by the law, persons who are involved in direct or indirect, open or hidden
trafficking in human beings aimed at their sale for sexual exploitation or
pornobusiness, or their use in military conflicts, as well as persons who
adopt children for commercial purposes, will face criminal charges and
will be punished by imprisonment for a period of three to eight years,
with confiscation of their property. The persons
who are involved in the sale of children and those officials who abuse
their positions to this end, will be punished by imprisonment for a period
of five to ten years. In situations where the trafficking in human beings
led to serious consequences or was organized by a criminal grouping, and
in cases when the trafficking was intended for the transplantation of
human organs, the punishment is increased to 8-15 years.
As
stated by Nina Karpacheva, deputy head of the Ukrainian Parliament's
Commission on Human Rights, up to 85% of Ukrainian women involved in
prostitution abroad are forced into this business against their will. She
said that dozens of thousands of Ukrainian women have been turned into "white
slaves" in many countries, in particular in Greece, Turkey, Israel,
Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands ...
According
to Karpacheva, until now the Ukrainian authorities have had no information
regarding the trafficking in human beings because there have been no
criminal charges associated with these crimes.
*****