Escort Bulgaria

OSIA ESTABLISHEDThe U.S. On-Site InspectionAgency (OSIA) is established to carry out the on-site inspection,escort, and monitoring provisions of the INF Treaty. It laterbecomes responsible for U.S. inspection activities under otherarms control agreements. ... [Read More]

2004 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices in Poland

In November, several organizations and political parties, including Lambda, the Green Party and the New Left, organized a March of Equality in Poznan on International Tolerance Day. Despite protests from conservative parties, Church authorities and associations, city authorities granted permission for the march. The march was provided with a police escort but was blocked by soccer hooligans and members of All Poland's Youth. These groups attempted to break the police cordon and attack the marchers but were thwarted by the police escort. Following the attempted disruption, the police and organizers agreed to change from a march format to a rally. Opponents threw eggs and lemons and verbally abused the rally participants. Police detained or arrested a number of counterdemonstrators. ... [Read More]

IIIb. Country Narratives - Countries H through P

The Government of Morocco does not yet fully comply with minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. Although the Moroccan government has begun to address the problem of trafficking in persons, it is constrained by lack of resources. No law specifically prohibits trafficking; however, the government utilizes a number of other statutes to prosecute traffickers. Moroccan police and security services have broken up numerous clandestine emigration and prostitution rings. There have also been a few cases of employers of child maids being prosecuted for abusive behavior. There is evidence of low-level corruption by police, immigration, and border officials, to permit the movement of clandestine emigrants who may become trafficking victims. The government has difficulties monitoring its long borders. Regarding protection of victims, the government has made only minimal efforts. The government does not provide assistance to victims ... [Read More]

J) Europe and Central Asia

In early 2001, Malta and the U.S. signed a customs mutual assistance agreement. This agreement allows the exchange of information regarding criminal investigations as well as other intelligence information on customs operations. In addition, in August 2000, the GOM authorized and supported the USG request to board and exercise jurisdiction over the M/V Suerte, a Greek-owned, Maltese flagged vessel. The vessel, which was operating in the Caribbean, was escorted to Houston, Texas, where it was detained for alleged drug smuggling. ... [Read More]

2004 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in the Netherlands

In 2003, authorities prosecuted approximately 189 trafficking cases, compared to 165 in 2002. In February, an Alkmaar district court imposed prison sentences varying from 3.5 to 12 years on 4 men suspected of having trafficked 3 East European women into the country for prostitution. In May, the Lelystad police arrested three men and two women for having lured African women from Brussels to the country, where they were forced to work as prostitutes and act in pornographic videos. In June, the Friesland police arrested two men and one Romanian woman suspected of having trafficked East European women. In July, The Hague police arrested 6 persons, and the Alkmaar police arrested the owner of an escort service suspected of having exploited minors. In August, the Rotterdam court sentenced 3 persons to 3 to 21 months' imprisonment for having lured 2 girls into prostitution. All these cases were still pending in court at year's end. ... [Read More]

Department of State Washington File: Fact Sheet: Coalition Contributions to the War on Terrorism

-- The Canadian Naval Forces have been engaged in Maritime Interception Operations (MIO), Leadership Interdiction Operations (LIO), escort duties and general maritime surveillance between the North Arabian Gulf and the North Arabian Sea. Seven ships deployed to OEF from October 2001 to April 2002. ...

-- Provided frigate for escorting coalition shipping through the Straits of Malacca. ... [Read More]

Prisoner Transfer Treaties

The COE Convention is in force in the following countries: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic of), Malta, the Netherlands (including Netherlands Antilles and Aruba), Nicaragua, Norway (including Bouvet Island, Peter I's Island and Queen Maud Land), Panama, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom (including Anguilla, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman ... [Read More]

Poland

The law has no provision for restraining orders to protect battered women against further abuse. For example, in divorce cases, courts frequently granted a divorce but did not issue a property settlement, forcing women to return to their abusive husbands. This problem was exacerbated by a lack of alternative housing in the country. Women's advocacy groups also complained about the small number of state-supported shelters for battered women.Paying for sexual activity is illegal, as is pimping; however, selling sex is not illegal. Due to a crackdown on prostitutes who work along major thoroughfares and at truck stops, much of the prostitution industry moved to brothels, massage parlors, or agencies offering escort services. Since 1997 the total estimated numbers of prostitutes has declined by 45 percent; however, police believed that this apparent decline may have resulted from much greater numbers of women working in brothels, or so-called agencies, ... [Read More]