Trafficked Victim Died

Several days ago, twenty-six years old Natia, who was a victim of trafficking, died.

Before death she spoke with the representatives of the Human Rights Center and gave detailed information about her tragic history. She named people who had taken her to Turkey and then to Greece in winter of 2001.

After twenty-one-day starvation Natia got ill with tube-meningitis and lung tuberculosis. Before death she deafened too, however she was ready to cooperate with law enforcers. She demanded the punishment of the criminal group who had deceived her and sent to Turkey under the promise she would get a well-paid job there. The group illegally transported young people from Georgia to Turkey and then to Greece. Besides that the criminal group was involved in human trafficking.

In 2002 the Department against Life Abuse within the Internal Ministry launched a criminal case on the fact. Since they found out that the brother of one of the high ranking officials protected the criminal group they dropped the investigation.

Lately Natia took treatment at the Tbilisi Tuberculosis Hospital where she was not paid proper attention; Natia’s family members stated so in their conversation with the Human Rights Centre.

Before death Natia publicly exposed the traffickers, Zaza Chuladze, certain Manana, Tengo and others. The Prosecutor General’s Office got interested in the fact but there has been no result yet.

The Human Rights Centre is deeply concerned regarding the fact and calls upon the corresponding bodies to show their interests into the fact and punish the criminals under the law. Besides that the center is ready to provide detailed information about Natia’s story she told the journalist during the interview.

Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti