United Nations independent experts have issued a call to action urging Russia to cease the persistent trafficking and forced labor of migrant women, mainly from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, in Moscow’s Golyanovo district. Highlighting “credible and well-documented allegations,” the Special Rapporteurs demanded that Russian authorities take immediate measures including comprehensive investigations and collaboration with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to secure justice for the victims. Details of their appeal are available in the original report.
The experts identified that systemic failures in Russia’s legislative and administrative structures have allowed for “deeply disturbing patterns of trafficking” and contemporary slavery. A particular concern is the ineffective and tardy conduct of investigations, which has emboldened traffickers by allowing a climate of impunity. A recent ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in the case of F.M. and Others v Russia confirmed Russia’s violation of its human trafficking responsibilities and failure to protect victims. The case involved five female applicants, three from Kazakhstan and two from Uzbekistan, trafficked to Moscow between 2002 and 2016.
Information suggests that women were deceitfully lured to Russia under promises of legitimate work but found themselves held captive, forced to endure long hours in deplorable conditions without pay. Extreme violence and exploitation were rampant, including beatings, rapes, coerced pregnancies, and forced abortions. Traffickers often confiscated their documents, further trapping them in this cycle of abuse.
The failure of Russian authorities to conduct effective investigations, often dismissing cases on the erroneous grounds of consent despite evidence of coercion, contributes to a deeply entrenched system of exploitation. For decades, victim and civil society organizations have voiced complaints, only to encounter Russia’s lack of a comprehensive framework to prevent trafficking, discouraging victims from seeking assistance and hindering the efforts of these organizations.
The court’s finding also emphasized the breach of Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibits slavery and forced labor. Additionally, the court cited a violation of Article 14, which prohibits discrimination, noting that foreign migrant women and girls are disproportionately affected by human trafficking. The experts stressed the importance of ensuring that trafficking victims are not punished for crimes committed as a result of their exploitation.
These developments highlight the urgent need for Russia to overhaul its approach to human trafficking, reinforcing the international call for significant reforms that prioritize victim protection and the dismantling of exploitation networks.