GENEVA - UN experts* today expressed grave concern over credible and well-documented allegations of long-standing trafficking and forced labour of migrant women in the Golyanovo district of Moscow, in Russia.
The victims, primarily from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, have reportedly been subjected to extreme forms of exploitation and violence for decades.
"The facts described reveal deeply disturbing patterns of trafficking in persons and contemporary forms of slavery, enabled by systemic failures in the Russian legal and institutional framework," the experts said. "The lack of effective and timely investigations and the fact that perpetrators are not held accountable fuels impunity which is unacceptable."
According to information received, dozens of women were lured to Russia with false promises of legitimate employment in small shops. Once there, their documents were confiscated, and they were held in captivity, forced to work up to 20 hours a day in inhumane conditions without pay. Victims were reportedly subjected to torture, sexual violence and forced abortions, and their children were abducted.
"These women were isolated, abused, and stripped of all autonomy. The scale and duration of the abuse, coupled with the authorities' failure to act despite repeated complaints, point to a deeply entrenched system of exploitation," the experts said.
Despite dozens of complaints from victims and civil society organisations since the 1990s, Russian authorities have failed to conduct effective investigations, even refusing to register cases.
The experts noted that investigations were often closed on the false assumption that victims had given consent, ignoring compelling evidence of coercion and abuse.
They also raised alarm over Russia's failure to enact a comprehensive anti-trafficking legal framework, the criminalisation of assisting undocumented migrants, which deters victims from seeking help, and obstructs the work of civil society organisations, as well as individuals.
"We urge Russian authorities to take immediate and decisive action," the experts said. "This includes launching a comprehensive investigation, cooperating with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, and ensuring justice and redress for all victims."
The case was recently considered by the European Court of Human Rights, which found Russia in violation of its obligation to prevent trafficking and protect victims (final judgment in the case of F.M. and Others v. Russia).
"Victims of human trafficking must not be punished for unlawful acts committed as a direct consequence of their exploitation," the experts said. "In violation of article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights, Russian authorities failed to prevent trafficking, protect victims, or hold perpetrators accountable."
