Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., March 10, 2009 Adar 14, 5769 | | Israel Time: 17:50 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File

Judge frees 5 suspected human traffickers: 'Victims were not forced into sex' By Tomer Zarchin and Ruth Sinai Tags: Crime, Israel News  Five people charged with bringing Ukrainian women into Israel to work as prostitutes were released on bail over the weekend. In her ruling, Tel Aviv District Court Judge Dalia Ganot said the state does not have sufficient evidence to get a conviction for human trafficking. "None of the complaintants was forced to have sex either for free or to pay for the expense of bringing them to Israel," Ganot wrote. "And no evidence was brought from which one can infer the existence of supervision or control over the movements of the plaintiffs or the scope of their work." The prosecution will not appeal the defendants' release and said it expects to prove the charges during the trial. Prosecution officials said Ganot did find evidence that most of the defendants had brought people into the country to work as prostitutes, and accordingly set a high bail. Advertisement MK Zahava Gal-On (Meretz-Yahad), who heads the Knesset subcommitte on trafficking in women, said Ganot appears not to have internalized the law against trafficking in women. She said the reasons the court gave "reflect insensitivity and inflexibility." "It's too bad the judge has not succeeded in understanding that anyone who treats a woman as an object, as currency - even if he takes them to the gyncologist or to Superland [an amusement park], for all his kindness, is dangerous to society and its values, and should be behind bars," she said. Ganot wrote in her ruling that the two complainants seemed to have freedom of movement, noting that one of the defendants said he took them to the gynecologist and the supermarket, as well as the beach and Superland. Retired Tel Aviv District Court judge Shelly Timan supported the ruling, saying Ganot showed courage in making the right decision while condemning human trafficking, especially when the women are put to work as prostitutes. "The pressure exerted on the prosecution to continue to 'revive' the phenomenon - which is disappearing, if it still exists at all - by charging pimps with human trafficking," said Timan, "verges on scandalous." The indictment comprises one of the most serious charges in a case involving the trafficking of women. Alexander Zaiman, Mashiah Hahiashvili and Marina Hahiashvili were charged with conspiring with Ukrainians to bring women to Israel to work as prostitutes and collect payment for it. The two other defendants are Benny Mirilashvili and Binyamin Ben-Naim. The two complainants told police that when they needed money a woman in Ukraine named Lena convinced them to go to Israel to work as prostitutes. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Katsav rape trial Katsav's brother attacks decision to indict former president for rape. Covering up Assad says alleged nuclear site hit by IAF has been built over.   1.   Time to add annual review of judges performance 09:31  |  Joe Sittizen 22/10/08   2.   Women also have to take responsibility for their actions 09:59  |  Miriam 22/10/08   3.   Judicial leniency 10:14  |  Yonatan 22/10/08   4.   Pimps are legal? Here is, without comment "pimp" definition: 10:23  |  S 22/10/08   5.   Prostitution 10:36  |  J.G. 22/10/08   6.   to #2 Miriam Correct! 13:03  |  Northern 22/10/08   7.   Israels real growth industry ?? 21:54  |  Zion 09/03/09   8.   Human trafficking 16:59  |  George Stauber 10/03/09

Read & React Shalit negotiator arrives in Cairo as soldier's parents hold protest Responses: 76 Hamas official hails British MP Galloway as 'hero' in Gaza Responses: 82 IAEA: Arabs crucial to resolving Iran nuke issue Responses: 37 Yoel Marcus: If talk could kill, we'd already be at war with Iran Responses: 36 A. Sagi and Y. Stern: Demonization of Arabs down to Jewish fears over own loyalty Responses: 29 More Headlines 17:17 U.S. intel heads: Iran lacks fuel for nuclear bomb 17:20 Fischer presents NIS 4.4b plan to rescue economy 15:06 Noam Shalit: Peres grasps urgency of freeing Gilad 13:26 Turkey 'quit Shalit talks due to Hamas demands' 16:56 Israeli energy start-up turns traffic into source of electricity 15:55 Assad to meet Saudi king in Riyadh, as ties warm 15:54 Vatican envoy: Holocaust deniers can't be considered Catholic 10:48 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel 17:41 Iran military chief slams 'warmongering' Obama administration 06:16 ANALYSIS / Gilad Shalit will not be coming home soon 12:59 Gaza family sues Olmert for $200m after 29 relatives killed 08:45 Gaza militants fire two rockets into western Negev 10:00 As Zionists, Israel's 9th graders scored average of 66% 10:59 Police shut out taxman on Lieberman probe Previous Editions Select Day 09 mar 08 mar 06 mar 05 mar 04 mar 03 mar 02 mar 01 mar 27 feb 26 feb 25 feb 24 feb

Special Offers Advertisement Spring Specials-Dan Hotels Jerusalem from 179$. Tel-Aviv from 223$. Herzliya from 336$ Dead Sea Skin Care Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off! Summer in Israel Israeli style - Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet 2009 Passover Vacations The BEST Passover Vacations around ? Mexico, Arizona and Florida Camp Kimama Israel 2009 The best place for your children this summer Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | | Israel 2009 election results

Site rules | Makom: Engaging on Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved