Z.L. promised Georgian citizens I.T., A.V., Ts.K., and M.B. to assist them in travelling to Israel for work in exchange of USD 3,500. With the assistance of E.G. and a still unidentified person, “A”, a Bedouin in Egypt, Z.L. was supposed to bring the victims to Israel via Turkey and Egypt. In the desert of Egypt, Z.L.’s accomplices would walk them to the border of Israel, avoiding the Egyptian border-guards. The trip would take a couple of days. Z.L. warned them of Bedouin and possible labour exploitation.
In May, 2010 I.T., A.V., Ts.K., M.B. and N. J. contacted Z.L. and agreed to the proposed terms to travel to Israel for work.
On June 2, 2010, Z.L. met I.T., A.V., Ts.K., M.B. and N. J. at a station and took them to Turkey by bus. After arrival they were taken to the hotel and Z.L. gave them E.G.’s number, who would help them find an Arab Bedouin in charge of taking them over the Egypt-Israel border. Z.L. received the payment of USD 600-1,000 from each person. In addition, they were supposed to pay USD 1,500 to A. and USD 500 to E.G. Upon arrival in Egypt, the victims contacted E.G. who took them to desert by car. A. did not take them to Israel. He detained them for three months in the desert, in tents with poor nutrition and poor living conditions under surveillance of armed Bedouin. Under threat, A. exploited the victims in his water melon and marijuana plantations.
In September 2010, I.Ts., A.V., Ts.K., M.B., L.A. and N. J. escaped from the Bedouin. Military forces located in the desert called the police upon the request of escaped victims who consequently were transferred to the nearest police station. On October 2, 2010, the victims returned to Georgia.
Georgia
Egypt
TürkiyeThe legal issue of the case was whether the actions taken by the defendant constituted human trafficking, i.e. recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.
The court ruled pursuant to Chapter XXI of the Criminal Code of Georgia and based its ruling on the case materials examined by the court and the collected evidence, which included testimonies of victims and witnesses, Z.L.’s confession, materials proving that N.J., M.B., Ts.K., I.Ts., A.V. and Z.L. crossed the national border of Georgia, secret audio-video surveillance recordings conducted under permission of the Tbilisi City Court orders from November 5, 2010, #6056/10 and November 18, 2010, 6382/10, 6383/10, person recognition reports from witnesses, records of incoming and outgoing calls and the a detailed examination report. The court found that the accusation against Z.L.’s was proven.
Z.L. was found guilty under the Criminal Code of Georgia article 143, Part 3, Subsections (b) and (c) and was sentenced to 12 (twelve) years of imprisonment.
Georgia Criminal Code, Article 143 (3)(b)(c)
Tbilisi City Court
Decision of the Tbilisi City Court