00:00In an unprecedented move, Ethiopia has handed down the debt penalty to five individuals convicted of organized human trafficking,
00:07the forced such sentencing in the country's history.
00:10These convictions relate to the perilous eastern route many migrants take each year crossing the Red Sea from Djibouti to Yemen
00:18en route to Gulf State for labor or domestic work.
00:21The announcement follows a tragic maritime incident of Yemen's coast where at least 76 migrants, mostly Ethiopians, died after their boat sank and dozens remained missing.
00:33Justice Minister emphasized that this is the forced enforcement of the death penalty for people trafficking in Ethiopia,
00:40a nation that retains capital punishment on the law but rarely enacts its last known execution or court in 2007.
00:47While the court did not disclose specific details about the convicted individuals or charges,
00:53the move reflects a growing government effort to combat migrant smuggling networks.
Comments