Concerns about human trafficking in Cyprus were raised during Monday’s talk in the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights. This followed a report by Britain’s Channel 4.
The Committee’s President, Irini Charalambidou, pointed out problems in the system. She announced that they will ask the Deputy Minister of Migration for an update on how services are coordinated. She also plans to suggest moving this responsibility to the Ministry of Justice and Public Order.
During the meeting, Andreas Anastasiadis from the Police said that since 2021, 30 people have been convicted in 21 human trafficking cases. There are another 30 cases still pending in court. He also confirmed that an investigation related to the video is currently ongoing.
Members of Parliament from different parties noted a lack of political will and poor victim identification efforts. They said there are no significant results yet. They stressed that human trafficking is organized crime, not just a one-off issue. They also called for zero tolerance, immediate support for victims, and seizing assets gained from illegal activities.
