Migrants from North Africa sold as “slaves” in Libya

ESAT News (April 12, 2017)

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) exposed horrible stories of migrants from north Africa, who try to cross to the Mediterranean to the shores of Europe, being sold as slaves in Libya.

According to a press release by the IOM Over the past weekend, a staff for IOM in Niger and Libya documented shocking events on North African migrant routes, which they have described as ‘slave markets’ tormenting hundreds of young African men bound for Libya.  

Operations Officers with IOM’s office in Niger, reported on the rescue of a Senegalese migrant who this week was returning to his home after being held captive for months.

According to the Senegalese testimony, while trying to travel north through the Sahara, he arrived in Agadez, Niger, where he was told he would have to pay 320 dollars to continue north, towards Libya.  

IOM Niger staff reported that “Sub-Saharan migrants were being sold and bought by Libyans, with the support of Ghanaians and Nigerians who work for them.”  

He said the kidnappers made the migrants call their families back home, and often suffered beatings while on the phone so that their family members could hear them being tortured.  

Some migrants who couldn’t pay were reportedly killed, or left to starve to death.(END)