Thesis (LLM) - Cyprus International University. Institute of Graduate Studies and Research International Relations Department

Includes bibliography (sheets 54-59)

ABSTRACT
One of humankind's greatest accomplishments is the development of successful organ
transplantation procedures. Many lives were saved and extended because of the option
of organ, tissue, and cell transplantation. Unfortunately, the supply of organs is grossly
inadequate to meet the increasing demand. Because of this, gray areas have opened up
in the law through which organs might be acquired dishonestly. People who are already
at lower socioeconomic status are often the primary targets of traffickers, who abuse
them for organ removal. Human trafficking for the purpose of organ removal and
Human organ trafficking are two separate phenomena related to illegal organ removal.
Both phenomena involve trafficking, however in the first case the target is a human
being and in the latter case it is an organ. The purpose of this thesis, therefore, is to
examine the legal protections offered to both forms of organ trafficking. Furthermore,
in circumstances when specialized measures addressing organ trafficking are
inadequate to protect victims, victims might seek protection under existing
international human rights agreements.
Sometimes the states fail to recognize victims of trafficking as such, which may rob
them of the protection under the law that they are entitled to. Because of this, States
must advance toward the implementation of the non-punishment principle, which
consistently aids vulnerable victims in seeking remedy for their rights violations and
motivates them to disclose illegal acts to law enforcement officials.
Keywords: Human rights, Organ Removal, Organ Trafficking, Protection,
Traffickers, Victim