French prosecutors probe modern-day slavery claims against Saudi prince

[misskit]

French prosecutors said Monday they are investigating claims that a Saudi prince kept seven employees in a state of modern-day slavery at an apartment he owned outside Paris.


The inquiry for human trafficking was opened after the women, most from the Philippines, filed complaints of modern-day slavery in October 2019, said the prosecutors' office in the suburb city of Nanterre.


The maids had been recruited in Saudi Arabia and worked for the prince and his family there and in France, a source close to the case, who refused to be named, added.


They apparently escaped during a trip to France, the source said.


The alleged abuse occurred in 2008, 2013 and 2015 at the apartment in the posh Neuilly-sur-Seine suburb west of the capital.

Prosecutors heard testimony from the women a few weeks ago, but the prince has yet to be questioned since he is not currently in France, the source said.


Some were required to sleep on the floor and barely had time to eat while serving the prince's four children, according to Le Parisien newspaper.


"The first time we met with them, what was shocking to see was that they were hungry. They were crying with hunger," Anick Fougeroux, head of the NGO, SOS Esclaves ("Slaves"), told the paper.


French prosecutors probe modern-day slavery claims against Saudi prince

[harrybarracuda]

Said Prince will most likely have diplomatic immunity once the Saudis read this (if he didn't have it before), so it's all a waste of time.

[helge]

Said Prince will most likely have diplomatic immunity

Couldn't he be declared 'persona non grata' by France ?

[harrybarracuda]

Couldn't he be declared 'persona non grata' by France ?

I'm not sure the French would risk the fall out.

[Backspin]

These Saudi rats couldn't just pay them. Probably some religious dogma

[baldrick]

who here thinks the posh cnut actually manages his slaves ?

it will be some striving middle management sycophant ( phycophant ) with an mba looking to get high scores on the yearly appraisal by maxing some kpi

[harrybarracuda]

who here thinks the posh cnut actually manages his slaves ?

it will be some striving middle management sycophant ( phycophant ) with an mba looking to get high scores on the yearly appraisal by maxing some kpi

Or a Lebanese or Egyptian housekeeper.

[cyrille]

who here thinks the posh cnut actually manages his slaves ?

We have no idea, of course, but there are an awful lot of Saudi princes around.

He might just be 'very well off' rather than in the 'solid gold bidet' bracket.

Some were required to sleep on the floor and barely had time to eat

Not exactly appalling standards of cruelty so far, is it.

A bit worse than working for 'Ellen'.