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Trafficking in human beings has in many ways been linked to migration and border-cross-
ing. I believe that in terms of migrants received the Russian Federation ranks second after
the USA. A larger part of trafficked people are legally transported to other countries,
specifically to former Soviet republics. They come on a legal basis, but subsequently they
find themselves in certain situations where they lose their legal status.
The media have a large role to play in raising the awareness about this issue and preventing
human trafficking. We give briefings every day. We have found human trafficking cases in
nearly all countries of the world. Media representatives often lack a professional approach
to covering this problem. Indeed, only a few people know what has really been going on
in this area. We have worked in cooperation with representatives of the Moscow State Uni-
versity, developing a special project on the global perspective problems for the students
and post-graduates of the journalism department. The studies carried out under the project
were published in a book which has become a new manual for the students.
Lyudmila Shcherbina
,
First Secretary, Moscow Union of Jour-
nalists:
In the past few months, getting to Ukraine was by no
means an easy business for our journalists; in fact, it was more
like going through the nine circles of hell. More often than
not they are refused entry to Ukraine, and they have to travel
back to Moscow. Indicatively, the reasons offered by the
Ukrainian side are downright ridiculous - like, say, a "lack of
sufficient funds."
A wide range of methods are being used by the Ukrainian
side, including refused accreditation, kidnapping, illegal ex-
pulsion, severe beatings, and threats of homicide. Within a
matter of months, Ukraine has become one of the most dan-
gerous places in the world for media representatives. And nevertheless numerous Russian
reporters have continued to go on their missions.
How many more deaths are needed before the policy-makers come to their senses and
start respecting every human life? And what has to be done to ultimately secure the safety
of our colleagues, so that all correspondents who go to troubled areas are sure that they
get back home alive and intact when their mission is over?
Dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to remind you of the sad statistics ex-
isting in our profession: since 1992, as many as 1,076 journalists have been killed in differ-
ent parts of the world. It is unthinkable that this sorrowful number may further increase.
In many ways it depends on us to prevent this from ever happening. Thank you for your
kind attention..