Hackathon uncovers human trafficking of refugees
An EU-wide hackathon targeted criminal network that use websites and social media platforms to recruit and exploit refugees.
sexual abuse
Rape, abuse, murder: New UN report on Libya highlights migrants' suffering in painful detail
UN investigators revealed once more that migrants and refugees detained in Libya face serious abuse, with women especially facing sexual violence. The report highlights how females are forced to submit to rape in exchange for food. It also mentions the discovery of "dozens" of mass graves with migrants' bodies.
Europol identifies several potential trafficking schemes preying on vulnerable Ukrainians
Law enforcement agency Europol said in a press statement that it conducted a joint action day exploring the danger of exploitation which Ukrainian refugee women can be exposed to. Several potential human traffickers were identified as part of the coordinated effort.
Traumatized, abused migrant women find shelter and more in Greek reception facility
On the occasion of Women's Day, various NGOs are shining a light on the issue of domestic violence among female migrant and refugee populations. One initiative in Athens highlights how it is actively helping to rescue women from abusive partners.
Ukrainian refugees targeted by dubious accommodation offers at Berlin station
Berlin police have received tip-offs about dubious accommodation offers given to refugee women and young people. This is particularly alarming as the war in Ukraine has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their country in the past two weeks -- with many young people coming to the German capital.
German court finds Syrian ex-colonel guilty of crimes against humanity
A German court has found a Syrian former army colonel guilty of crimes against humanity, handing him a life sentence. The trial is the first to take place anywhere examining state-sponsored torture in Syrian Civil War.
Migrantes Foundation report: Sharp rise in Libyan detention
A report published by the Migrantes Foundation of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) underscored a sharp rise in the detention of migrants in Libyan centers this year. Official centers alone were holding some 10,000 in early October, compared with about 1,100 in January, the report stated.
Six arrested over sex violence case in Sicily hosting center
Police in the Sicilian city of Porto Empedocle have arrested six people who are accused of raping minors. All suspects are Egyptian citizens and five are under 18. The victims were also foreign minors.
Libyan coast guard intercepts 280 migrants at sea
Libya's coast guard has intercepted 280 migrants on five boats on their journey to Europe. They are now due to be sent back to their respective countries of origins.
Syrian refugees returning home face torture, abuse: Amnesty report
A report by Amnesty International contradicts some governments' views that Syria is now safe to return for refugees. Returnees have faced detainment, torture, disappearance, and sexual violence.
Amnesty condemns 'complicity' of European states in Libya migrant 'horror'
Amnesty said it found new evidence of "harrowing violations, including sexual violence, against men, women and children" living in Libyan detention camps after being returned from the Mediterranean.
Video: An Afghan woman in search of refuge
If one story can encompass within itself the atrocities of war and what it does to people, it’s Shola Rashid’s story. Living currently as a refugee in Spain, the Afghan woman tells her tale of escape and the horrors of travelling irregularly as a woman.