Svetlahorsk workers break away from labor slavery

In 2008, they were employed as guest workers in Russia but get no pay. Unemployment or low salaries pushed those people to agree to job proposals on a promise of allegedly high wages in the neighboring country. In Homel region which borders Russia, the problem of labor slavery remains very acute.

Ihar Kameika, the head of drug enforcement and trafficking in people unit at the Svetlahorsk Police Department, reckons that many citizens do not report to the police in such cases, because they are not aware of their rights. Besides, people often hope that they will eventually get paid and delay coming to the police. Kameika notes that it often becomes known that someone ended up in labor slavery in Russia only when relatives begin searching for them with the help of the police.

According to official sources, the police in the Homel region busted nine channels of trafficking people in 2008. 103 people became victims of trafficking, including 74 taken from Belarus for labor slavery and 29 women for forced prostitution.

Bulletin Online

Photo: ВВС