The Albanian government has failed to meet minimum standards in certain areas

The US State Department has released its annual report on global human trafficking. Upon its release, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the document provides the most comprehensive assessment of the phenomenon as well as governments' efforts to combat it.

By measuring progress in 188 countries – including the United States – Washington aims to implement President Biden's commitment to prevent trafficking, prosecute perpetrators and protect its victims.

Blinken said some 27 million people around the world are exploited for labor, services and the sex trade. Through force, fraud and coercion, they are forced to work in fields and factories, in restaurants and residences. The victims are the most vulnerable individuals in the world and are taking advantage of their plight.

The report divides countries into three tiers. The first tier includes countries whose governments fully comply with the minimum standards.

The second level concerns countries whose efforts do not fully meet the minimum standards, but whose governments are making considerable efforts to do so.

The third level concerns countries whose efforts do not meet minimum standards and whose governments are not making efforts in this regard.

Albania and Kosovo are classified this year, as last year, in the category of second tier countries.

Situation in Albania

The report said the government saw an overall increase in efforts compared to last year. Efforts included investigating sex traffickers, identifying more potential victims in collaboration with nongovernmental organizations, and providing services to more victims.

But the report adds that the government failed to meet minimum standards in some key areas. “The government clearly investigated fewer trafficking-related crimes, prosecuted fewer suspects, and punished no traffickers for the second year in a row,” the report said.

It is also claimed that police and district attorneys lack the experience and specialization to investigate and prosecute trafficking cases, and that alleged perpetrators have been convicted of minor crimes, such as “exploitation prostitution”, instead of trafficking.

The report said the government failed to continuously monitor the part of the community that could potentially be trafficked, such as migrants, asylum seekers, the Roma and Egyptian communities, as well as children.

Criminal investigation

The report says some government efforts to combat trafficking have declined. The penal code provides for sentences of eight to 15 years in prison for the crime of trafficking involving an adult victim and 10 to 20 years when the victim is a child.

The report said state police investigated 26 cases, compared to 85 cases in 2022. The attorney general's office prosecuted eight new cases (seven for sex trafficking and one for an unspecified form of trafficking), compared to 17 new cases in 2022. It also continued 42 cases initiated in previous years. Furthermore, the Special Structure for Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) launched a new investigation (two in 2022) and continued prosecutions in two cases initiated during the periods considered.

But the report reveals that courts convicted no traffickers for the second year in a row, compared to 11 convictions in 2021.

In recent years, judges have sentenced some traffickers to light sentences, such as probation, which has reduced efforts to hold traffickers accountable, weakened prevention mechanisms and created security problems for the victims.

The report said the government has not announced any new investigations, prosecutions or convictions of government employees complicit in human trafficking crimes, adding that corruption and cooperation of officials in trafficking crimes remain a matter of concern .

The report recommends investigating and prosecuting trafficking-related crimes, as well as prosecuting traffickers – including complicit officials.

Significant prison sentences for perpetrators and training of judges at all levels to take into account the seriousness of trafficking in sentencing.

It is also necessary to have specialized police officers and prosecutors to investigate and prosecute these crimes.

Profile

As has been reported over the past five years, human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Albania as well as abroad. Traffickers exploit Albanian women and children into forced labor, particularly during the tourist season.

They use false promises, such as offers of marriage or employment, to lure their victims. Traffickers typically force children to beg or perform other types of forced labor, and also force children to commit criminal offenses, including theft and distribution of narcotics. Traffickers exploit Albanian children, mainly from Roma and Egyptian communities, for seasonal work and forced begging. Nongovernmental organizations said traffickers forced children to sell drugs, mainly in schools. Traffickers exploit Albanian victims for sexual purposes across Europe, including in Belgium, Greece, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo and France. /America 1