On 3 October 2022 the Anti-Trafficking Division of the Council of Europe together with the Cypriot NGO “Step up Stop Slavery” organised an expert round-table discussion on “Access to compensation and effective remedies for victims of trafficking in human beings”, which was held in Nicosia, Cyprus.
The aim of the event was to provide the Cypriot authorities with a comparative legal analysis and practical examples of access to compensation for victims of trafficking in human beings, particularly through state compensation schemes. Presentations were made by Judge Michelle Brewer (UK immigration judge specialised in human trafficking), Maarten Noordzij (Dutch Senior Public Prosecutor) and Annabel Canzian (French human rights lawyer). The participants were also provided with an overview of the Council of Europe instruments relevant for victim compensation and the related recommendations of the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA).
The event brought together some 30 participants, including members of the Cypriot Parliament, officials from the Ministry of the Interior, judges, police officers, social welfare service staff, lawyers and representatives of civil society.
The participants noted the necessity of improving access to compensation for human trafficking victims in Cyprus by bringing the domestic legislative framework and practice in compliance with international standards and obligations.
