The claim that over 20,000 students, who came from all around the world to study in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus through agencies, have gone missing has stirred up controversy. It is alleged that these missing students have fallen victim to human trafficking and are being forced into the sex industry. According to the Refugee Rights Association, missing female students are also being coerced into egg donation and surrogacy.
Source: DW Turkish
According to a report on DW Turkish, students are coming to the country to study via agencies. These agencies, which have agreements with universities, completely change the situation once the students arrive in the country. Some agencies, particularly targeting female students from Africa, seize their passports by claiming that the students owe them a debt.
Damla Kodan from the Refugee Rights Association stated that students are being forcibly confined in apartment flats and coerced into prostitution.
It is claimed that over 20,000 of the 107,000 students registered at the 23 universities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are missing. According to the association's allegations, these detained students are also being forced into egg donation and surrogacy.