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Efficiency of the Courts when Dealing with Organized Crime cases

Document number
1953
Date
2008
Title
Efficiency of the Courts when Dealing with Organized Crime cases
Author/publisher
Coalition All for Fair Trials, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
Availability
View/save PDF version of this document
Document type(s)
Research/Study/Analysis,
Keywords
Organized crime, Prosecution, Law Enforcement, Criminal justice, Judicial cooperation; Victim-centred approach, National anti-trafficking measures; Criminalisation, Punishment, Crime prevention;
Summary
All for Fair Trials notes that human trafficking is a severe human rights violation that has been going on in Macedonia at least ten years, with the worst period being during the 2001-2003 conflict. Their report follows three years of court observation in organized crime cases. The majority of trafficking cases concerned women who had been trafficked for sexual exploitation, and so were prosecuted under the crimes of "mediation in prostitution," "trafficking in human beings," or "smuggling of migrants."

Although the reported numbers of trafficking cases has decreased, All for Fair Trials says trafficking incidences remain the same, and only the form of the crime has changed. In relation to organized crime in particular, the report notes that many cases now involve three or more perpetrators and repeat offenders. There are problems securing witnesses for trial. The report also discusses the laws behind these crimes, characteristics of Macedonian organized crime groups, efforts to combat trafficking, victims, case duration and sanctions.


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