Top judges from around the globe gathered at the Vatican last week for the Judges’ Summit on Human Trafficking and Organized Crime.
Speakers from the UK included Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, Christopher Prince, Philip Norton, DPP Alison Saunders, and Kevin Hyland, the UK’s Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner. They were addressed by Pope Francis, who urged prosecutors and judges to step up the fight against human trafficking.
The final declaration, signed by all taking part, said “all nations must recognise modern slavery, human trafficking, and forced labour and prostitution as crimes against humanity with commensurate sentences”.
It called for money laundering to be severely prosecuted, and suggested specific measures such as using assets seized from convicted traffickers to assist victims.
