Dubai: A permanent team of prosecutors and experts has been formed to investigate human trafficking cases in Dubai.
Khalifa Bin Deemas, Chief Prosecutor and Head of the Attorney General's technical office, will chair the team including female public prosecutors, legal researchers, social workers and psychological advisors, who are specialised in human trafficking cases, according to the directives of Dubai Attorney General Essam Eisa Al Humaidan.
"Forming this work team coincides with Dubai Public Prosecution's strategic planning and its mission to cooperate with members of the community to reach a safer and crime-free community in terms of justice. We will work on combating human trafficking crimes. It comes as a result of our persistent mechanism in litigating and prosecuting human trafficking suspects since the issuance of the anti-human trafficking law in 2006," Bin Deemas said in a media statement on Wednesday.
Unofficial statistics show that 15 to 20 cases involving human traffickers have been referred to the Dubai Court of First Instance this year.
Bin Deemas stressed that the team's main duty is to investigate such cases and support human trafficking victims by offering them social, emotional and psychological support along with legal counselling.
"We also have a very serious role through enlightening the public about the hazards of such crime and criminals. Whatever it takes, we are committed to combat and nail down human traffickers and won't hesitate to litigate them and forward suspects to court for prosecution as per Federal Law no 51, of 2006 on combating human trafficking," he added.
The team will also be entitled to discuss the provisions of the anti-human trafficking law and the legal methods to implement it, the statement quoted Bin Deemas as saying.
"The work team is also concerned with developing laws and legislation related to issues of human trafficking, and strengthening the UAE's role in international judicial cooperation in combating such crime in coordination with local and federal bodies," he said.
Law no 51 allows life imprisonment and fines of up to Dh1 million for human traffickers.
Introduced in 2006, it covers a range of trafficking-related crimes, including enslavement, sexual exploitation, child labour and the trade of human organs, and was the first such legislation in the region.
MOU: victims and health care
The UAE shelters for victims of human trafficking and sexual abuse have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Abu Dhabi Health Services company (Seha) to provide health care for residents of the shelters.
The MoU specified mechanisms of cooperation and coordination between the two sides to serve the programmes of the shelters in providing health care for victims and residents.
