المملكة: With 610 issues and 100 condemnation .. The Kingdom establishes its leadership in combating human trafficking

A recent international report revealed that the intensive Saudi Arabia efforts in combating crimes of trafficking in people resulted in direct 610 cases, which reflects great progress for the Kingdom in this field and enhances its global classification.
The world revives the International Day to Combat Trafficking in Persons, which highlights this year 2025 of the seriousness of this crime as one of the most violating forms of crime for human dignity. The global slogan for this year comes “trafficking in persons is an organized crime … to end exploitation” to confirm that ending this danger requires serious national and international move and joint coordination between all concerned parties.

The seventh global report on the trafficking of the United Nations, issued by the United Nations, stated that the strict measures taken by the Kingdom represented by the Ministry of Interior led to the protection of 171 victims and the prosecution of 1007 accused, in a move confirming its firm commitment to preserving human dignity from Vision 2030.
The report pointed out that the high number of cases initiated by the Ministry of Interior does not necessarily reflect an increase in the crime, but rather reveals the size and efficiency of the coordination procedures and mechanisms that the Kingdom has created to monitor and raise awareness of these crimes.
These judicial efforts led to the trial of 172 accused, 104 of whom were sentenced to final convictions, which demonstrates the seriousness of the judicial system in deterring the traders and protecting society.
In the details of the cases, the report that covered the period between 2017 and 2021 and included 141 countries, that work or service crimes forcibly formed the most widespread image of trafficking in the Kingdom by 59 of the convicts, which explains that it is one of the most importing countries for employment. The sexual exploitation crimes were followed by 17 convicts, then slavery 14 convicts, and begging is also 14 convicts.

At the level of those involved, the Saudis constituted 21%of the total convicts, followed by the Ethiopians by 16%, then the Pakistanis by 13%, and the Yemenis by 12%, the Indonesians by 9%. As for the victims, the Ugandan nationality was the most targeted by 28%, followed by the Indonesian by 21%, then Sri Lankan by 14%, and Kenyan by 13%. Then the Yemeni with 9% and the Philippine 5%. On the other hand, the work or service forcibly formed the most widespread images of trafficking by 63%.
This is due to the fact that the Kingdom is the most imported countries of employment compared to the countries included in the study, such as Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon and Morocco, then sexual exploitation 15%, slavery 13%, and begging 9%.
Globally, the number of convicts reached 300 thousand from 141 countries, while the number of victims reached 450, as it decreased for the first time during the year 2020 the number of victims of trafficking in people 11% compared to the previous year, while the number of condemnation of crimes of people decreased 27% compared to the previous year. This is due to the Korona pandemic, which prompted such crimes towards more secrecy.
The report indicated that females are subjected to physical violence at the hands of the traders three times higher than males, while children are exposed to physical violence by twice the adults.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has attached great importance to combating this crime, as it is a flagrant violation of religious and human values, and a direct threat to national and societal security. Its efforts were launched from a established legal and humanitarian base, criminalizing trafficking in people in all its forms, and stressing the accountability of those involved in it, protecting the victims and ensuring their rights.
Since the issuance of the Persons Trafficking Crime System in 2009, the Kingdom has established a firm legal approach, which guarantees strict penalties reaching imprisonment and fine, and the victim’s protection from any accountability or discrimination has been emphasized.