The Uzbek parliament voted on March 13 to adopt a new law aimed at combating human trafficking, AKIpress reported on 18. According to an official press release issued by the Uzbek government, the new law will serve as a "reliable legal base for the prevention of human trafficking" and help to bolster the state effort to "fight the illegal exploitation, migration, and trade of human beings," according to the Jahon news agency. The press release also claimed that Uzbek law enforcement agencies have investigated over 1,000 reports from victims of human trafficking over the past three years, resulting in the formal initiation of over 700 criminal cases.Copyright (c) 2008. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
Published in: Uzbek Parliament Adopts Trafficking Law, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 19 March 2008.