forced labor

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Number of Slaves on the Planet: 30M

Victims in 162 countries; half are in India

(Newser) - Slavery continues to afflict almost 30 million people across the planet—in every one of 162 countries surveyed in a new report. India is home to 13.9 million slaves, by far the largest number; relative to population, however, Mauritania has the highest rate, with 4% of the population enslaved...

N. Korean Comic Pulled Off Stage, Sent to Coal Mine

Lee Choon Hong mentioned 'sensitive issues' onstage: report

(Newser) - North Korean authorities weren't laughing over a comedian's "slip of the tongue"—and sent her straight into forced labor, the Daily Mail reports. Lee Choon Hong, known for her mimicry and satire, was performing for workers at a 150,000-acre farm project when she mentioned "...

China: We're Reforming Forced Labor Camps

Controversial program was said to be used against political activists

(Newser) - China's first step toward the reform promised by new leader Xi Jinping : The country will reform its forced labor camp system, state media reported today. The long-standing, controversial "re-education through labor system" allows police to jail petty criminals for up to four years without going through the court...

Ikea: Sorry for Using Forced Labor to Make Furniture

Suppliers in communist East Germany used prison labor

(Newser) - Swedish furniture giant Ikea expressed regret today that it benefited from the use of forced prison labor by some of its suppliers in communist East Germany more than two decades ago. The company released an independent report showing that East German prisoners, among them many political dissidents, were involved in...

FBI Busts Human Traffickers Who Lured 400 Thais to US

Six accused in biggest human trafficking case in US history

(Newser) - A US recruitment company lured 400 Thai laborers to the US, confiscated their passports, tore up their contracts, and forced them to work, according to a federal indictment filed yesterday. The indictment names six people, four from Global Horizons Manpower Inc.—including the CEO—and two recruiters based out...

'A Little Slavery' Is Not OK, Gov. Crist

(Newser) - A dozen years of prosecutions against Florida slave-holders still hasn't convinced Gov. Charlie Crist to back the cause—but he better, Barry Estabrook writes in Gourmet. Advocacy groups, who have tried for 2 years to meet with him, now threaten to re-enact slavery abuses in the state’s capital. Such...

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