Taiwan has retained a place for the 12th straight year in the top tier of the US’ annual Trafficking in Persons Report, released on Thursday.
It cited the country’s efforts to investigate trafficking crimes and sentence offenders.
In the four-tier report, in which Taiwan was listed among the 27 top-tier countries, the US Department of State said the Taiwanese government arrested 458 people on suspicion of trafficking crimes last year and conducted 159 new criminal investigations, up from 143 the previous year.
Based on those investigations, 116 people were prosecuted last year, and 50 of them were eventually convicted for trafficking, same as in 2019, the report said.
While the report recognized the Taiwanese government’s efforts to eliminate human trafficking, it also highlighted problems such as forced labor among migrant fishers and domestic workers.
“Authorities’ insufficient staffing and inspection protocols continued to impede efforts to identify, investigate and prosecute forced labor on fishing vessels in Taiwan’s highly vulnerable Distant Water Fleet” fishing industry, the report said.
It also mentioned allegations of victim penalization last year, including one case in which a migrant fisherman who had complained about being forced to work without pay was ultimately deported, as law enforcement officers failed to understand his situation and deemed him an illegal worker.
“Taiwan authorities’ lack of specific labor laws ensuring the rights of migrant domestic caregivers left thousands vulnerable to exploitation in forced labor,” the report said.
Citing a survey carried out in Taiwan, the report said 90 percent of all migrant domestic workers in the country reportedly have their travel and identification documents withheld by their employers, constituting a significant concern regarding freedom of movement.
The Ministry of the Interior yesterday said the government has been giving priority to combating human trafficking and improving labor rights, particularly in the fishing industry.
Taiwan will strengthen its efforts against trafficking and will work with civic groups, experts and local governments to provide better protection of victims, it said.
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