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After nearly two months in prison, Niger's leading anti-slavery
activists, Ilguilas Weila and Alassane Biga, have been released
on bail.
In what was their third bail hearing, held on Friday 17 June, the
magistrates agreed to bail, noting they did not pose a threat to
public order and would not tamper with any evidence -- reversing
two earlier decisions.
Ilguilas Weila, president of Timidria, Niger's pioneering anti-slavery
organisation and 2004
Anti-Slavery Award winner, and his colleague Alassane Biga, were
arrested on 28 April. They were denied bail twice, charged with
illegally soliciting funds from an international organisation based
in London, which we understand to mean Anti-Slavery International
and as such view this charge as unfounded and baseless.
Anti-Slavery International is calling for all charges against the
activists to be dropped.
"We are relieved to hear that Ilguilas Weila and Alassane
Biga have been granted bail and we urge that all charges against
them be dropped. Slavery is a significant problem in Niger and we
call on the Government to work in co-operation with Timidria to
end this serious abuse," Romana Cacchioli, Anti-Slavery
International Africa Programme Officer, said.
At least 43,000 people are in slavery across Niger. They are born
into an established slave class and are made to carry out all labour
required by their masters without pay, including herding, cleaning
and moving their master's tent throughout the day to ensure he and
his family are always in shade. Slaves are inherited, given as gifts
and babies may be taken away from their mothers once weaned. They
are denied all rights and choice.
In May 2004, a new law came into effect making practising slavery
punishable by up to 30 years in prison. The Government's move was
in response to the publication of the first national survey of slavery,
which was jointly carried out by Timidria and Anti-Slavery International,
the world's oldest international human rights organisation. The
report established the extent and countrywide existence of slavery,
having interviewed over 11,000 people, most of whom were found to
be in slavery.
The charges against Weila and Biga relate to the planned but failed
attempt to release 7,000 slaves in a ceremony in In Atès,
a remote area near the Niger-Malian border, in early March 2005.
In a ceremony announcing slavery to be a criminal offence, the authorities
warned slave masters not to release their slaves officially, stating
that if they did, they would be subject to up to 30 years in prison.
Timidria and others also reported government intimidation, preventing
slaves from attending the ceremony. Since then, the Government has
declared there is no slavery in Niger.
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