Conference on Progress Against Trafficking in Persons in Southeastern Europe

Under Secretary of State Dobriansky will host a discussion about successful anti-trafficking operations in Southeastern Europe on August 1, 2003. The agenda features an analysis of a recent successful multilateral anti-trafficking law enforcement operation against Boyko Dilaver: from investigation to arrest, prosecution, conviction, and sentencing. Dilaver is an ethnic Albanian trafficker in Macedonia who operated with impunity for many years in Southeastern Europe, trafficking young women into prostitution. The case is an example of a victim-centered approach to addressing trafficking. Law enforcement authorities rescued hundreds of young women. Four women who were trafficked from Romania agreed to testify against Dilaver and were brought back to Macedonia under a new Romanian witness protection plan. International cooperation led to this first successful prosecution of a high-level trafficker in Macedonia. Dilaver subsequently escaped from prison, but was recaptured last week. Many of those who ran the operation against Dilvaer, including the police officer who participated in his recapture, will be part of the panel discussions looking at how to stop trafficking in Southeastern Europe.

To register for the Conference on Progress Against Trafficking in Persons in Southeastern Europe click here.