L
LequteMan
Guest
A Belgian court has sentenced eight princesses from the United Arab Emirates after convicting them of human trafficking and degrading treatment of human beings.
According to reports, the princesses held over 20 of their servants who came with them on a visit in 2008 in near slavery.
The case came to light when one of the servants escaped from the hotel where the princesses had hired a floor of luxury suites.
They said they were forced to be available 24 hours a day, had to sleep on the floor, were never given a day off, were prevented from leaving the hotel and were forced to eat the princesses' leftovers.
Th princesses were given 15-month suspended jail terms and ordered to pay €165,000 (£145,000; $185,000) each, with half the sum suspended.
The princesses had denied all the charges and were acquitted of the more serious charge of inhumane treatment.
Their lawyer, Stephen Monod, said he was "satisfied to note that the Belgian justice has appropriately assessed this case which has generated many misconceptions for nearly 10 years".
According to reports, the princesses held over 20 of their servants who came with them on a visit in 2008 in near slavery.
The case came to light when one of the servants escaped from the hotel where the princesses had hired a floor of luxury suites.
They said they were forced to be available 24 hours a day, had to sleep on the floor, were never given a day off, were prevented from leaving the hotel and were forced to eat the princesses' leftovers.
Th princesses were given 15-month suspended jail terms and ordered to pay €165,000 (£145,000; $185,000) each, with half the sum suspended.
The princesses had denied all the charges and were acquitted of the more serious charge of inhumane treatment.
Their lawyer, Stephen Monod, said he was "satisfied to note that the Belgian justice has appropriately assessed this case which has generated many misconceptions for nearly 10 years".
