The Local Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings - Sliven adopted a "Programme for Prevention and Counteraction of Trafficking in Human Beings and Protection of Victims" for 2023.
On 22.02.2023 in Hall 119 of the Municipality of Sliven held the first 2023 regular meeting of the Local Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (LCCTHB), Sliven. The meeting was opened by Ms. Pepa Chilikova - Deputy Mayor of "Humanitarian Activities" of Sliven Municipality and Chairperson of LCCTHB - Sliven.
The meeting was attended by the members of the Local Commission, representatives of the following institutions: the District Prosecutor's Office - Sliven, the Sector "BOP" - Sliven, the Sector "Criminal Police", the Department "Counteracting Crimes" at the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior Sliven, the Department "Child Protection" at the State Social Welfare - Sliven and the Association "Doctors of the World" Sliven.
In the framework of the regular meeting was presented and adopted the Annual Report of the LCCTHB - Sliven for 2022, in implementation of the local "Program for Prevention and Counteraction of Trafficking in Human Beings and Protection of Victims for 2022", in relation to the implementation of state policy in the region and the interaction between the institutions on the implementation of the Law on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and the National Mechanism for referral and assistance to victims of trafficking.
The "Programme for Prevention and Counteraction of Trafficking in Human Beings and Protection of Victims for 2023" of LCCTHB - Sliven was presented and adopted.
Key activities to be implemented in 2023 were discussed in order to build on local policies to combat trafficking in human beings. The planned information campaigns for the prevention of different forms of trafficking in human beings were presented, as well as the upcoming specialized training with a multidisciplinary approach, with a focus on building inter-institutional cooperation and developing the partner network of institutions and organizations.
Mr. Vladimir Drumev, Secretary of the LCCTHB - Sliven put emphasis on the continuation of the process for the implementation of targeted prevention activities with specific risk groups: schoolchildren, students, unemployed youth up to 29 years, long-term unemployed persons, women prisoners and persons with special needs.
During the meeting, the current trends in the crime of human trafficking in Sliven region were discussed based on summarized statistical information and professional practice of the members of the LCCTBH - Sliven.
*For the period 01.01.2022 - 31.12.2022, 10 cases concerning the crime of "trafficking in human beings" were pending at the District Prosecutor's Office - Sliven.
One case was newly initiated in 2022, two cases were initiated in 2021 and the remaining seven cases were initiated in previous years. One of the cases is being monitored by the territorial division of the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Sliven. The remaining cases were filed by the Regional Prosecutor's Office - Sliven.
There were 48 victims of trafficking in the above cases. Of these, 31 were men and 8 women victims of trafficking for labor exploitation. The remaining victims were women trafficked for sexual exploitation. There were 10 persons convicted of the offense.
The texts under which the above criminal proceedings were conducted are as follows:
Article 159d, Art. 159b, para. 1, Art. 159a, para. 1 of Article 159(1) of the Criminal Code - international trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation in the conditions of dangerous recidivism - 1 pc.
Art. 159b, para. 159a of the Criminal Code - international trafficking for sexual exploitation - 3 pcs.
Article 159b, paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code - international trafficking for forced labor - 2 pcs.
Article 159a, paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code - domestic trafficking in human beings for sexual exploitation - 3 pcs.
Article 159a (2) (4), in par. 1 of the Criminal Code - international trafficking in human beings for forced labor - 1 pc.