Despite a significant number of international legal obligations and reforms of national legislation, the problem of trafficking in human beings remains one of the most acute in the field of human rights protection. Ukraine, as a party to numerous international agreements, in particular the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, has committed itself to creating an effective mechanism to combat this phenomenon. However, in practice, the implementation of these mechanisms faces a number of law enforcement problems.
The article examines key law enforcement issues in the field of combating human trafficking in Ukraine. Emphasis is placed on the complexity of identifying victims, the imperfection of pre-trial investigation procedures, and the low level of effectiveness of criminal prosecution of the organizers of such criminal offenses. It is noted that despite the existence of an appropriate regulatory framework, in particular Article 149 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the actual level of detection and punishment of perpetrators remains extremely low.
Typical shortcomings in the work of law enforcement agencies are analyzed, such as a formalized approach to investigation, insufficient training of investigators and prosecutors in the field of combating human trafficking, and the lack of effective cooperation with international structures. Particular attention is paid to the problems of protecting the rights of victims, in particular in terms of ensuring safety, access to psychological assistance, and mechanisms for compensation for damage.
The article provides examples of judicial practice that illustrate the ambiguity of the legal classification of acts that have signs of human trafficking, as well as cases of competing norms. The need to improve interagency coordination, upgrade the qualifications of specialists, and strengthen international cooperation in this area is substantiated. It is concluded that effective counteraction to human trafficking requires a comprehensive approach that includes not only criminal law measures but also the introduction of social, educational, and preventive mechanisms to protect potential victims.
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