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 Turkey from 5 to 12 October 2018. The visit was organised in the context of the first round of evaluation of the implementation by Turkey of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.
During the visit, the GRETA delegation met officials from the Directorate General of Migration Management, including its Department of Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking, the National Police, the Gendarmerie General Command, the National Coastguard, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Labour, Social Service and Family, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Meetings were also held with prosecutors and judges. Further, the GRETA delegation met a Member of the Grand National Assembly (Parliament) and representatives of the National Human Rights and Equality Institution.
In addition to holding meetings in Ankara, the GRETA delegation travelled to Adana, Edirne, Istanbul, Kırıkkale and Kırklareli Provinces where it met representatives of relevant provincial structures.
Separate meetings were held with representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and Bar Associations. GRETA also held discussions with officials from the European Union Delegation, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
In the course of the visit, the GRETA delegation visited the two existing shelters for women victims of human trafficking, in Ankara and Kırıkkale, run by the respective Provincial Migration Management Directorates. It also visited Baǧlum Child Support Centre for unaccompanied children in Ankara and Sarıçam Temporary Protection Centre for Syrian refugees near Adana. Further, the GRETA delegation visited a removal centre for irregular migrants in Pehlivanköy, Kırklareli Province. It also paid a visit to a Violence Prevention and Monitoring Centre in Ankara.
The visit was carried out by Ms Siobhán Mullally, President of GRETA, and Mr Ola Laurell, member of GRETA, who were accompanied by Ms Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Convention, and Mr David Dolidze 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 made public.
