HIBAPRESS – Omar Al-Razzini (Barcelona Office)
The Spanish police have revealed a shocking case of exploitation and illegal detention, after finding a man held for a long time inside a kebab restaurant in the municipality of Lliçà d’Amunt, in the Catalonia region.
Initial investigations indicated that the victim had been working in the restaurant for several months without receiving any wages, as the owner of the restaurant was content with providing him with food and a place to sleep inside the shop. The worker was also forced to work long hours in harsh conditions, without any legal rights or protection. According to security sources, the restaurant owner used to lock the shop on the worker during the night hours and threatened him if he tried to leave, which made the victim live in a situation closer to forced detention and modern slavery. The police intervened after receiving information about the situation, to arrest the owner of the restaurant and open an official investigation into the case, which is suspected to be a crime of human trafficking and a gross violation of human rights. For its part, the authorities transferred the victim to the competent social services, where he is currently receiving the necessary care and psychological and social support, in addition to studying his legal status to help him integrate and regain his rights. Investigations are still ongoing to uncover all the circumstances of the case and determine the legal responsibilities arising from it.
