News - Branches of Hope

After escaping exploitation, trafficked domestic workers in Hong Kong face another hurdle – legal recognition

Research carried out by Justice Centre Hong Kong in 2016 found that 17 per cent of the migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong were in forced labour, and 14 per cent of those had been trafficked.

After escaping exploitation, trafficked domestic workers in Hong Kong face another hurdle – legal recognition – Hong Kong Free Press HKFP (hongkongfp.com)

Asia’s Human Traffickers Target New Victims

Aspate of human trafficking cases has rattled the cosmopolitan financial hub of Hong Kong. Since January, city authorities have received appeals for help from at least 43 Hongkongers kidnapped and forced to do illegal work in Southeast Asia. Of those, 23 have returned safely, while 12 others are still being held in Cambodia and three more in Myanmar.

Asia’s Human Traffickers Target New Victims | Time

【兩邊走走｜綠豆｜第八集｜20220826】港人墮拐賣陷阱難逃

【兩邊走走｜綠豆｜第八集｜20220826】港人墮拐賣陷阱難逃；高球場爭議仍未定案；英工黨借高通脹上位 – YouTube

Reports of Hong Kong people suspected of being trafficked to Southeast Asia have made headlines recently. But existing laws fail to target human trafficking or forced labour, says Patricia Ho of the Hong Kong Dignity Institute.

Hong Kong should legislate against human trafficking, NGO and lawyer urge amid increasing number of calls for help – Hong Kong Free Press HKFP (hongkongfp.com)

Human-trafficking crisis: captive Hongkonger tells how trip to Thailand turned into 3-month nightmare under forced labour

Anecdotal evidence shows many scam victims were lured to Thailand with the promise of a well-paid job they saw advertised online.

Lawyers and NGO staff have paid close attention since the crisis – possibly the worst to affect the safety of Hongkongers overseas for a decade – started to unfold.

Human-trafficking crisis: captive Hongkonger tells how trip to Thailand turned into 3-month nightmare under forced labour | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)

More cries for help from trafficking victims

**There are 21 Hongkongers still being held captive in Southeast Asia after falling prey to scams, the Security Bureau said.**

It also received one more report of a Hong Kong citizen being held captive in Southeast Asia yesterday, taking the total of those conned into traveling to the area in employment frauds or romance scams to 39.

Of the 39 requests for assistance, 18 of them have been confirmed safe and 12 of them have returned to Hong Kong. But there are still 10 who are being detained in Myanmar and 11 in Cambodia.
At present, there is no specific legislation for human trafficking in Hong Kong.

Branches of Hope – a local NGO advocating for victims of trafficking – said in a press conference yesterday that they received two requests for help from alleged victims.
Both of them were kidnapped and taken to Myanmar after they traveled to Thailand. One was released after his family members paid a ransom, while the other was still held in Myanmar.

More cries for help from trafficking victims | The Standard

兩港人聲稱因求職及獲邀旅行到泰國後被脅持至緬甸

支援人口販運受害者的非政府組織「希望枝子」舉行記者會，表示收到兩名被詐騙到東南亞的港人求助，並在記者會上播出他們的錄音。（港台圖片）

詐騙營｜受害者或有刑責　蛇頭僅因欺詐被捕　團體籲立人口販賣罪

有集團於柬埔寨、緬甸等地方設立園區進行電話詐騙、「殺豬盤」等詐騙工作，當中涉販賣人口等嚴重罪行。港府接獲39名港人求助，21人未脫險。警方亦以「串謀欺詐罪」在本港拘捕7人，指他們虛假陳述騙取他人前往外地。
港大法律學院首席講師及守護尊嚴中心創辦人何珮芝，多年來呼籲港府就人口販賣立法，她認為以詐騙罪起訴，無法反映嚴重性，立法亦可保障受害人，受威迫下從事詐騙等工作，可免除法律責任。

港人泰國旅行遭賣到緬甸團體促立法打擊人口販運

保安局再接獲1宗港人被詐騙到東南亞國家的求助，累計收到39宗。反人口販運組織「希望枝子」亦收到2名被詐騙到泰國的港人求助，其中一人在泰國旅行時被賣至緬甸從事詐騙、賭場等工作，曾目擊逃走者中槍，至今已受困在當地三個月。「希望枝子」指出東南亞詐騙屬人口販運，促港府針對人口販運立法。

港人泰國旅行遭賣到緬甸團體促立法打擊人口販運 | 獨媒報導 | 獨立媒體 (inmediahk.net)

港人東南亞遭誘騙求助增至39宗　組織促立人口販運罪

保安局再接獲多一宗港人東南亞遭誘騙的求助，累計收到39宗。有關注人口販運的組織指，本港未有專門法例打擊販運人口活動，建議當局盡快立法。

39宗求助個案中，其中18人已確認安全，當中12人已回港，仍有21人被禁錮在緬甸及柬埔寨。

有關注人口販運的組織收到至少兩宗求助，其中一人至今仍未回港。

希望枝子「停止人口販運」項目經理黃筱媛：「受害人不單止是被誘騙，有些是被朋友騙取信任過到泰國旅行，但最終被擄拐；有些誤信網上的招聘廣告，安排好所有工作條件，以為真是到當地工作時，誰知被武力脅持，要求從事非法工作。」

港人東南亞遭誘騙求助增至39宗　組織促立人口販運罪 | Now 新聞