Moroccan seasonal workers reveal exploitation and slavery in southern France
Fifteen Moroccan seasonal workers appeared before Nîmes court in France, accusing intermediaries of charging up to €12,000 for agricultural contracts and imposing harsh working conditions.
Moroccan workers before Nîmes court: allegations of human trafficking and identity document seizure
Fifteen Moroccan seasonal workers have accused intermediaries of subjecting them to what they described as "modern slavery" in southern France, according to Agence France-Presse, as reported by Hespress. The workers appeared on Tuesday before a court in Nîmes, where prosecutor Nathalie Fillet called for suspended prison sentences ranging between one year and eighteen months, as well as financial fines ranging between €50,000 and €150,000 against four accused individuals.
Fillet stated that the alleged conditions amounted to human trafficking in respect of three of the four accused. One worker, identified by his initials Abderrahman B., told the court that he paid €12,000 in cash to Moroccan intermediary Hamid B., after being promised a seasonal contract and a monthly salary of €2,500. He said verbatim, according to Agence France-Presse: "I had to pay for the work."
Investigations indicated that the workers were recruited in Morocco by Hamid B. and his wife Nadia K., who handled administrative procedures. Upon arrival in France, the workers were required to work up to 13 hours daily in orchards in the Gard region, and sometimes 60 hours weekly, without access to drinking water, toilet facilities or changing rooms, amid what they described as insults and degrading treatment.
The workers also alleged that the intermediary and his wife seized their identity documents after the recruitment fees were paid. Some of them were housed in unfurnished rooms with no hot water for €150 monthly, whilst some workers slept on the floor due to a lack of beds. They also pointed out that overtime hours were not calculated legally, and that those wishing to return in the following season were obliged to pay additional fees.
Investigations revealed that this alleged system had been in place for at least three years. In response, Hamid B. denied all allegations, as did farmer Geoffrey M., who denied knowledge of the workers' housing conditions or the payments the workers claimed to have made to obtain their contracts.
The French farmers' union Confédération Paysanne joined the case as a civil party, considering these court proceedings to reveal what it described as "systematic violence" against foreign workers and the necessity to combat their exploitation. The court verdict was not announced at the time.
Source: Hespress