Slavery: West African judges hand down historic slavery ruling

Rights campaigners have welcomed a ruling by West African judges, who fined Niger the equivalent of 15,000 euros for failing to protect a woman sold into slavery aged 12, in a landmark ruling with implications across the region.

The ruling, which was the first time the ECOWAS regional court had been asked to rule on a case of slavery. Its verdict will be binding on all member states.

The Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States recognised that the young woman, Adidjatou Mani Koraou, now 24, had been "a victim of slavery."

It held "the Republic of Niger responsible for the inaction" of its administrative and legal services, in a ruling read out by a court official.

Judges fined Niger 10 million CFA francs (15,000 euros, 18,600 dollars).

The woman's lawyers had claimed five times that amount in damages.

Source SBS World News

For an excellent article on this ruling, see History in the making (SBS World News)

Published by Mike Hitchen, OverallStrategy.com
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