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The project is funded by the U.S. Department of State and implemented by IOM in five regional courts in Ukraine. At the press conference in Chernihiv, U.S. Ambassador John Tefft stated that the project is a visible part of a larger commitment that the Government of the United States has made to stop modern-day slavery. The U.S. is closely cooperating with the Government of Ukraine in this endeavour.

The Head of the Chernihiv Region Court of Appeals, Mr. Sadig Tagiev, noted that this equipment will be successfully used not just for trafficking cases. Witnesses to other major crimes can also testify via video without being re-victimized by the defendant.

“The successful instalment of the equipment was only possible thanks to the IOM programme and with the support of the U.S. Department of State. It will help Ukrainian citizens to feel that their authorities protect their rights and interests. By protecting victims of human trafficking, we strengthen the role of and trust in the legal and law enforcement system.”

Mr. Sadig Tagiev, the Head of the Chernihiv Region Court of Appeals

Currently, only about one-third of victims of human trafficking assisted by IOM act as witnesses in criminal cases. “The equipment installed in the courts and investigation departments in Khmelnytskyi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Volyn, Luhansk, Chernihiv regions guarantees that victims and witnesses can provide their statements without having to face their perpetrators. We are hopeful that thanks to our joint efforts more victims of modern-day slavery will feel safe enough to cooperate with law enforcement to bring their traffickers to justice”, underscored IOM’s Chief of Mission Mr. Manfred Profazi.

Over the last two years, apart from the five court rooms, IOM was also able to re-model and equip for interview rooms in police investigation departments in Kherson, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr and Sumy regions, which can be used to protect witnesses and victims of human trafficking at the pre-trial investigation stage.