Italian police free 33 Indian farm labourers from ‘slavery’
The migrants were given farm jobs, working seven days a week and 10-12 hours a day for just 4 euros per hour, which was entirely docked from them until they settled all their debts, police said, describing the migrants' treatment as "slavery".
Labour exploitation is in the spotlight in Italy following an accident in June in which an Indian fruit picker died after his arm was severed by machinery. (File Photo) Police in Italy said on Saturday (July 13) that they freed 33 Indian farm labourers from slave-like working conditions in the northern Verona province, news agency Reuters reported. The police also said that they seized $545,300 (around €500,000) from the alleged abusers of these labourers.
The abusers, who are Indian nationals, brought fellow nationals to Italy on seasonal work permits, asking them to pay 17,000 euros each and promising them a better future, the police added, while describing the migrants’ treatment as “slavery”.
The migrants were given farm jobs, working seven days a week and 10-12 hours a day for just $4.37 per hour, which was entirely docked from them until they settled all their debts. Some were asked to continue working for free to pay an additional $14,197 for a permanent work permit “which, in reality, would have never been given to them.”
Share
