GRETA carries out the second evaluation visit of Türkiye – Action against Trafficking in Human Beings – www.coe.int

A delegation of the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) carried out an evaluation visit to Türkiye on 18-22 September 2023 as part of the second evaluation round of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The visit provided an opportunity to assess progress in the implementation of the Convention since the first evaluation report by GRETA published in 2019. Prior to the visit, the Turkish authorities provided a reply to GRETA’s questionnaire for the second evaluation round.

During the visit, the GRETA delegation held consultations with representatives of the Presidency of Migration Management and its Department of Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking, the National Police, the Gendarmerie General Command, the Coast Guard Command, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Family and Social Services, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Ministry of National Education, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Treasury and Finance. Meetings were also held with prosecutors and judges from the Court of Cassation and at provincial level. Further, the GRETA delegation met representatives of the National Human Rights and Equality Institution, which acts at the National Rapporteur for combating trafficking in human beings.

In addition to holding meetings in Ankara, the GRETA delegation travelled to Gaziantep and Istanbul Provinces where it met representatives of relevant provincial structures.

In the course of the visit, the GRETA delegation visited the two existing shelters for victims of human trafficking in Türkiye, in Ankara and Kırıkkale, run by the respective Provincial Migration Management Directorates. It also visited the Violence Prevention and Monitoring Centre and Pursaklar Child Support Centre in Ankara, as well as the Removal Centre for Irregular Migrants in Gaziantep.

The GRETA delegation held separate meetings with representatives of non-governmental organisations, Bar Associations and international organisations.

The visit was carried out by Ms Conny Rijken and Mr Peter Van Hauwermeiren, members of GRETA, who were accompanied by Mr Mesut Bedirhanoglu and Ms Teresa Armengol de la Hoz of the Secretariat of the Convention.

Following the visit, GRETA will prepare a draft report, which will be sent to the Turkish authorities for comments. GRETA will subsequently adopt a final report which will be published in 2024.