A number of Ugandan girls living in Turkey are reported to have been deported back home after being arrested and detained for involving in illegal prostitution in the foreign country.
Chimpreports has learnt that so far seven have been deported out of the 20 girls who were arrested during a raid that was carried out by security operatives in Istanbul.
The girls were reportedly arrested for disobeying laws that regulate prostitution by openly trading their bodies in the streets during day time and operating without papers.
Prostitution in Turkey is legal and managed by the government. Under the country’s laws, foreigners that want to indulge in the business must be cleared and licensed by government.
“The girls were earlier warned against working during the day on the streets by the authorities but couldn’t listen; they were later arrested and detained,” a source said.
According to the source, those who tested HIV positive were immediately deported and the rest are still in detention, where they are expected to serve a three month sentence and get deported afterwards.
“We visited the girls in the prison and most of them were scared because they had entered the country illegally,” the source added.
When contacted, Uganda’s Deputy Ambassador in Turkey Moses Kagodo Kagoro told us that the embassy will take interest in the issue.
“The problem we have in Turkey today is that most Ugandans, both men and women don’t have proper documentation. Most of them are working without residence permits or working permits yet many of them have stayed this side for more than three years,” The Ambassador explained.
“We have been negotiating for these Ugandans to be given documents but the best we could do was convince the host government to let any Ugandan who has overstayed his or her visa go back to Kampala, apply again for a visa, come back here and within a period of one week, he or she can be registered to be given a working permit,” Mubiru said.
Kagoro noted that most Ugandans live in Turkey Municipality in Istanbul province which is a slam area that is affordable to them.
“This area, having low cost houses is where our Ugandans can afford to stay. The area is in the city center where there are industries in which most Ugandans work,” he said, adding that the embassy is 450KM from this area (in Ankara).
“We don’t have a consulate in Istanbul. If we get to know early enough that a Ugandan has been arrested, we go to that facility where they detained and negotiate their release; but, if we don’t get to know early enough; we have no solution to that.”
Source: http://chimpreports.com/prostitution-ugandan-girls-deported-from-turkey-embassy-speaks-out/
