Challenges in Migrations: Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in Serbia

The state laws of the Republic of Serbia recognize trafficking in human beings as a form of organized criminal activity, and different acts treat the prevention, repression and punishment of trafficking in human beings as well as the protection of the witnesses and the injured persons, before, in the course of and after the criminal prosecution. The Council of the Government of the Republic of Serbia for the fight against human trafficking was first constituted in December 2005, as an expert, advisory body of the Government. The Constitution of the Republic of Serbia from 2006 deals with the issue of human trafficking in the provision of Article 26: “It is expressly forbidden that no one can be held in slavery or in a position similar to slavery, that is, every form of human trafficking and forced labor under which it is considered sexual or economic exploitation of persons in a disadvantaged position”. The Criminal Code sanctioned: Human Trafficking (Art. 388); Trafficking in children for adoption (Art. 389); Establishment of slavery and transportation of persons in slavery (Art. 390). People smuggling is criminalized as a separate criminal offense under Unauthorized Crossing of the State Border and People Smuggling (Art. 350). The aims of this work are to indicate all relevant regulations that are applied against human trafficking in Serbia as well as to show the cooperation of Serbia as a candidate country and EU accession with other countries in the fight against human trafficking and the cooperation of state authorities and non-governmental organizations in preventing human trafficking in Serbia and abroad. At last, the cases of migrants and human trafficking described in the media are presented and what kind of attention these criminological phenomenons are causing in Serbia.