Contributed by: Marina Meskhi, Georgia National VAW Monitor

On 18 September 2006, the Special Operative Department of the Ministry of Interior of Georgia commenced investigation into the criminal case #090060916, on the alleged fact of trafficking in persons, the crimes envisaged by the Articles 143¹ para. 3(a),(c)^[1] and 143² para. 3 (d)^[2] of the Criminal Code of Georgia.

The following was established during the investigation conducted into the criminal case:

 In July 2006, Elphina Ibragimova proposed to her acquaintances A.B.* and minor Y.Z.* to work as shop assistants in Turkey. She promised each of them 700 USD per month for the job. To that end, E. Ibragimova pursued the parents of the minor Y.Z. to let their daughter leave for Turkey.   

On August 15, 2006 E. Ibragimova took A.B. and Y.Z. through the Sarpi Customs Checkpoint to the Republic of Turkey, deprived them of their passports, freedom of movement and contact with relatives and forced them to sexually serve men. E. Ibragimova was receiving the money paid for the forced sexual services.

A.B. and Y.Z. managed to regain their passports, which were left with the hotel administrator by E. Ibragimova and were able to return to Georgia on September 16, 2006. 

On September 29, 2006, E. Ibragimova was charged for the commission of crimes envisaged by the Articles 143¹ para.3(a),(c) and 143² para. 3(d) of the Criminal Code of Georgia and detention, as a measure of constraint was applied against her.

On November 20, 2006, Criminal Case #090060916 was submitted to the Rustavi City Court for trial. On April 26, 2007, the Court found E. Ibragimova guilty of committing the above mentioned crimes, and she was sentenced to the deprivation of liberty for 26 years.

* Victim names have been changed.