PHOTO: US Amb. Michael McCarthy
By Our Staff Writer
The United States Embassy in Monrovia has issued a statement congratulating the Liberian Legislature’s Vote on Amending the 2005 Anti-Human Trafficking Law, “in keeping with international standards”.
The congratulatory statement was issued on Thursday, September 16, 2021.
Lawmakers in Liberia recently amended the human trafficking law, some one month after the US Embassy released its 2021 human trafficking report on Liberia, which said that this country was not fully meeting the international human trafficking standards.
Their move came in an apparent reaction to an unfavourable report in Liberia’s performance in human trafficking as documented in United States government reports.
On July 2, 2021, the US Embassy released its 2021 Trafficking in Persons Report for Liberia, which said that the Liberian government “does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking—the requirement for a country to be ranked as Tier 1.”
But the report observed that the government was “making some efforts to do so.”
On Tuesday, September 7, the Liberian House of Representatives unanimously voted to concur with the Liberian Senate to strengthen criminal penalties for human trafficking and smuggling of migrants.
This include prison sentences of up to 20 years and fines up to US$200,000.00, amending the 2005 law.
Accordingly, there shall be payment or restitution made to the victims promptly, upon conviction of defendants with the proceeds from the property seized. Also, the victims of trafficking shall not be held criminally liable for any immigration-related offense, prosecution or any criminal offense, the new law says.
The amended human trafficking law also says that fines collected will be used for victim services and law enforcement.
“The U.S. Embassy in Liberia congratulates the Liberian Legislature on its recent votes to amend the 2005 Anti-Human Trafficking law in keeping with international standards. We urge the Liberian Government to maintain this momentum by following through with similarly substantive efforts to end the scourge of human trafficking in Liberia, including by addressing the other recommendations found in the 2021 Trafficking in Persons Report,” says the September 16, 2021 statement from the US Embassy.
In its July report, the Americans said the Liberia government “identified fewer victims, initiated fewer investigations, prosecuted fewer defendants, and did not sentence any traffickers.”
But the report praised civil society organizations “for their active involvement in reporting potential trafficking cases and coordinating services for potential victims.”
The US Embassy singled out the Association of Female Sociologists of Liberia, Community Watch Forum, Defence for Children International, National Concern Youth of Liberia, Orphan Relief and Rescue, Samaritan’s Purse, THINK Liberia, World Hope International, and YWCA Liberia.