U.S. Department of State: Azerbaijan serves as transit country for victims of traffickingJune 13, 2007 - 15:03 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The U.S. Department of State has released the 2007 Trafficking in Persons Report on over 150 countries. The report rates Azerbaijan as a source and transit country for men, women and children trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and labor. It says in part, "Women from Azerbaijan are trafficked to Turkey and the United Arab Emirates for purpose of sexual exploitation. Men are trafficked to Russia for forced labor. Azerbaijani children are trafficked to Turkey for purposes of sexual exploitation and to Russia for purposes of forced labor," it says. "Azerbaijan serves as a transit country for victims from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova trafficked to Turkey and the United Arab Emirates for sexual exploitation." "The government should develop and implement formal nation-wide victim identification procedures and ensure that the nation-wide toll-free hotline becomes functional," the report says. "Azerbaijan's anti-trafficking prevention efforts remained modest. The government periodically monitors its anti-trafficking efforts and makes the results public. In 2006, the Ministry of Culture supported school information programs run by domestic NGOs," the report says. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Lemkin Institute petition seeks release of Armenians in Azerbaijan The Lemkin Institute is deeply concerned about the continued illegal detention of political prisoners from Karabakh in Azerbaijan. Armenian Catholicos calls for national unity against threats Karekin II issued a message on Republic Day marking the anniversary of the First Armenian Republic. Pashinyan: Armenia’s desired goal is “on the horizon” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that Armenia is moving forward “without interruption”. Opposition leader, supporters spend night at Sardarapat memorial Police made nearly 300 arrests the day before as Galstanyan and his supporters continued to demonstrate in Yerevan. |