This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 000038 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TU BO MD KCRM PGOV BO MD KCRM PGOV KJUS
SUBJECT: ISTANBUL POLICE ON TIP AND MURDER OF BELARUSIAN 
WOMAN 
 
REF: A. MINSK 1721 
     ¶B. ANKAR...
¶1. (SBU) Summary: On December 27, poloff met with XXXXXXXXXXXX, XXXXXXXXXXXXX of the Foreigners Unit of the Istanbul Police Department, to follow up on trafficking in persons issues raised during the visit of a Moldavan anti-TIP government delegation (ref B) and the murder of a Belarusian woman in Istanbul (ref c). XXXXXXXXXXXX said there is a growing awareness about the TIP problem in Turkey, and that in November five traffickers were apprehended in Istanbul, of whom three are in jail. He shared documents about the Belarusian case; four men have been arrested and jailed in connection with the death. XXXXXXXXXXXX clarified the different situations of women described as trafficked; some come voluntarily, and some are tricked; many are unwilling to testify against traffickers. XXXXXXXXXXXX complained that the Moldovan delegation accused the Turkish Police of cooperating with the traffickers, increasing tension in the meeting. End summary. 

¶2. (SBU) Poloff and pol specialist met December 27 with XXXXXXXXXXXX, XXXXXXXXXXXXX of the Foreigners Unit of the Istanbul Police Department, to follow up on trafficking in persons issues raised during the visit of a Moldavan anti-TIP government delegation (ref B) and the murder of a Belarusian woman in Istanbul in the fall. XXXXXXXXXXXX underlined that he was unable to provide information to U.S. diplomats in Istanbul on cases involving nationals from third countries – such as Moldova or Belarus – without official permission from the Ankara Headquarters of the Foreigners Unit. However, XXXXXXXXXXXX shared information both about the growing TIP problem in Turkey and the Belarusian case. 

¶3. (SBU) XXXXXXXXXXXX said there is a growing awareness about the TIP problem in Turkey, adding that more serious measures have been taken to address TIP after the 2002 amendment to the Turkish Penal Code, which specified the definition of human trafficking. As an example, XXXXXXXXXXXX confirmed that in November 2004 five traffickers were apprehended and sent to court; three of the traffickers are already in jail. 

¶4. (SBU) XXXXXXXXXXXX stressed that women who may come under the definition of trafficked come to Turkey for many different reasons. Some come voluntarily to make money; a woman, for example, can make USD 100 a night in Istanbul, versus USD 30-50 a month in Moldova or Belarus. Another group of women are cheated by traffickers. He gave an example of a Moldovan woman who came to Turkey years ago and married a Turkish man; she is now a Turkish citizen. She frequently travels to Moldova to recruit young women by promising them various jobs, such as dancing or babysitting, and forces them into prostitution once they are in Turkey. XXXXXXXXXXXX noted that the women are fearful of being sold. He added that the Istanbul police have found that in most cases, the women are often unwilling to testify against the traffickers both because they are afraid of reprisal, and because they want to be able to return to Turkey. 

¶5. (SBU) On the murder of the Belarusian woman, XXXXXXXXXXXX showed copies both of the police report and a November 3 article describing the case, in which a 27-year old Belarusian woman, XXXXXXXXXXXXX, was tricked into coming to Istanbul by two Turkish men with promise of a job. The two men took her passport, locked her in a house in Bakirkoy and forced her into prostitution. According to the documentation XXXXXXXXXXXX shared, XXXXXXXXXXXXX and another Russian woman were then sent to the apartment of two businessmen, where she committed suicide by throwing herself out of the sixth-floor bathroom window in order to avoid being a prostitute. XXXXXXXXXXXX confirmed that the police arrested and sent to prison four Turkish men in connection with XXXXXXXXXXXXX death: the two men who brought XXXXXXXXXXXXX to Turkey to force her into prostitution, and the two businessmen. 

¶6. (SBU) Turning to the November meeting of the Moldovan TIP delegation with the Istanbul police (ref c), XXXXXXXXXXXX complained about the attitude of the Moldovan authorities, calling their approach unprofessional. XXXXXXXXXXXX claimed that the Moldovan delegation accused the Turkish Police of cooperating with the traffickers, increasing tension in the meeting. He had to warn the interpreter not to interpret all the statements of the Moldovans, in order to prevent the Foreigners Unit director from leaving the meeting. XXXXXXXXXXXX added that the GOT has problems with the Moldovans entering the country. For example, it is easy to change passports and names in Moldova, making it very easy for a Moldovan to return to Turkey even though his or her entry is banned. 

SNSITIVE TAGS: TU BO MD KCRM PGOV BO MD KCRM PGOV KJUS

¶7. (SBU) XXXXXXXXXXXX complained about the heavy work load and lack of resources, both personnel and fiancal inth Foreigners' Unit, where te rng ofisue icludes work permits to illegal immgraio, TP,and visa violations. XXXXXXXXXXXX stated that in November, 1000 foreigners were deported from Istanbul. He believes that a separate Immigration Office is needed to ease the burden on the Foreigners' Unit. 

¶8. (SBU) Bio Note: XXXXXXXXXXXX, who graduated from XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX in XXXXXXXXXXXX, spent XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ XXXXXXXXXXXXХ ХХХ. 

ARNETT