'Over 480 human trafficking cases recorded since 2006 in Azerbaijan '

Two-day international conference on “Enhancing co-operation to combat human trafficking and forced labour” organized by the OSCE Office in Baku has started.

 Addressing the event, Azerbaijan’s national coordinator for combating human trafficking, Deputy Interior Minister, Lieutenant-General Vilayat Eyvazov said every year 21 million people worldwide become the victims of human trafficking, 14 million people are in forced labour.

“484 facts of human trafficking have been revealed in Azerbaijan since 2006. 10 of them were related to forced labour, 363 faced charges, 222 groups were rendered harmless, of them 8 were organized criminal gangs. 473 people were freed and rehabilitated as a result of the struggle against human trafficking,” he said.

Vilayat Eyvazov said every year Azerbaijan allocates on average $500 000 for struggle against human trafficking.

“These funds are spent on the rehabilitation of the victims. The money paid to the victims by the state has doubled this year and reached $510,” he said.


/APA/