A human rights report published by the international “Justice Info” network, based in Switzerland, has highlighted the trial of a man named “Amanuel Welid” in the Netherlands, identifying him as the leader of a criminal network involved in the detention, torture, rape, and extortion of illegal migrants from Eritrea inside Libyan territory.
An unprecedented case in Europe
According to the report, Dutch authorities have begun trial proceedings against “Welid” in one of the largest court cases related to illegal migration in Europe. This trial is considered the first of its kind to address the entire migrant journey from Eritrea, through Ethiopia and Libya, to Europe.
The report indicated that “Welid’s” network operated detention camps in the city of Bani Walid between 2014 and 2018, where migrants were detained and tortured until their families paid large ransoms reaching thousands of dollars.
Shocking testimonies from victims
The report reviewed testimonies from several Eritrean victims who were detained in Libya. One of them, a 35-year-old man, said he was severely beaten and tortured until blood covered his entire body, asserting that he could only think about the moment of his death.
In another testimony, a 15-year-old girl who arrived in Sicily in 2018 said, “They did not allow us to bring food or water on the boat crossing from Libya, and we had no life jackets.” She noted that Italian authorities rescued 128 people who were suffering from skin diseases due to their detention in a warehouse near Bani Walid.
Detention camps and enslavement of migrants
The report clarified that more than a thousand people were crammed into one of “Welid’s” warehouses for periods ranging from 3 to 7 months, and those unable to pay the ransom were forced to work for the smugglers and torture others.
It added that testimonies revealed severe torture methods, including beatings with sticks and hoses and pouring molten plastic on bodies. One witness said, “They would spray us with cold water and then beat us until we couldn’t walk.”
Exploitation of women and horrific human tragedies
The report included testimonies from women forced to spend long periods with “Welid” for sex, while others were denied the rest of the journey to Europe for refusing. A witness in her thirties also spoke of being severely beaten in front of her two children to force her relatives to pay the ransom.
The journey of death to Europe
The report indicated that the period between 2016 and 2021 saw the arrival of about 114,000 Eritreans in Europe after they paid nearly one billion dollars to human trafficking networks. It affirmed that “Welid’s” trial represents a European attempt to hold accountable those involved in violations related to irregular migration through Libya.