STRASBOURG: The Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner slammed Cyprus for permitting a flourishing trade in young foreign women imported for sex in the island’s cabarets, in a report issued on Friday.

“Cyprus is still associated with trafficking in human beings, in particular trafficking of women for sexual exploitation mainly in bars, nightclubs and so-called cabarets,” Thomas Hammarberg said.

His report, compiled after a visit to Cyprus in July, kept up the criticism of the government some three weeks after a conference on human trafficking organised in Nicosia by associations fighting the practice.

Hammarberg singled out the issue of special visas for so-called artistes, which has facilitated the lucrative trade.

“The Commissioner is deeply concerned that the scheme of so-called cabaret ‘artiste’ work permits is still in place despite continued international criticism and expressed commitment of the authorities to abolish it,” he said.

“The commissioner strongly urges the authorities to abolish the current ‘artiste’ work permit scheme and to ensure that no other scheme could be used for the same unlawful purpose.” Cyprus issued some 3,000 artiste visas in 2007. Growing pressure from NGOs and the international community led it to abolish the scheme this year, but only with effect from Nov 1, so many are still valid.—AFP