Free Sajita - FreedomUnited.org

Free Sajita

Free Sajita campaign image

Make your voice heard

Share this petition

Read the petition in Arabic here.

To: Lebanon’s Minister of Labour, General Director of General Security and the President of the National Commission for Lebanese Women

Dear Ms. Claudine Aoun, Mr. Moustafa Bayram, and Mr. Abbas Ibrahim,

We, Domestic Workers Unite and the undersigned organizations, are writing to you about the case of Ms. Sajita Lama and her decade of alleged enslavement under the kafala system.

Sajita arrived in Lebanon in 2010 to work as a domestic worker for Mr. Richard Khoury and Ms. Rana Germanos, owners of George Barber Shop. Sajita was paid for the first year and nine months of her employment. After that, all payment ceased and Sajita found herself confined to her employers’ home with her legal documents confiscated and no means of contact with the outside world.

The “Free Sajita” campaign and the joint efforts of direct action led to the police removing Sajita from the Khoury household on 24 August 2021. Sajita alleges to have suffered a decade of enslavement and post-removal still remains without her salary. Under Article 6 of the Ministry of Labour policy for Work Contract for Migrant Domestic Workers, it states “The first party [employer] should pledge to pay the second party [worker] by the end of each working month his/her full salary… without unjustified delay. The salary shall be disbursed in cash directly… in pursuance of a written receipt to be signed by both parties or… a bank transfer with a [signed] written receipt…”

After long negotiations and legal action, the Khourys have offered a settlement of a bank cheque to the value of $2,300 which equates to approximately $500, just 15 cents per day for her period of alleged enslavement breaching Article 6 of the Ministry of Labour policy.

At present Sajita remains in a safehouse where she has been for five months awaiting justice. She is owed approximately $22,000. Article 4 Universal Declaration on Human Rights (1948) and Lebanon’s obligations under Article 2 (3)(a) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, states that everyone whose rights and freedoms under the covenant are violated shall have an effective remedy, as well as of Article 2 (1) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Under international law, Lebanon is obligated to guarantee that those who suffer human and labor rights violations are able to access redress mechanisms and to hold those responsible accountable.

Sajita’s case has gained attention from the local and global communities who are calling for an end to the abusive kafala system. Therefore, we call on the judicial authorities to put in place a system to investigate Sajita’s case of unpaid wages and for the Khourys to fairly compensate Sajita for her decade of alleged forced labor.

On behalf of our affiliates, we the undersigned are requesting the Lebanese authorities to respect international laws of which they are signatories and ensure that Sajita is compensated and those involved are held accountable for their actions.

Yours sincerely,

Domestic Workers Unite

This Is Lebanon

Domestic Workers Advocacy Network

Freedom United

KAFA

Meghterbin Mejtemiin (United Diaspora | Diaspora Unie) مغتربين مجتمعين

Chip in and help end modern slavery once and for all.

Subscribe

Freedom United is interested in hearing from our community and welcomes relevant, informed comments, advice, and insights that advance the conversation around our campaigns and advocacy. We value inclusivity and respect within our community. To be approved, your comments should be civil.

stop icon A few things we do not tolerate: comments that promote discrimination, prejudice, racism, or xenophobia, as well as personal attacks or profanity. We screen submissions in order to create a space where the entire Freedom United community feels safe to express and exchange thoughtful opinions.

Notify of
guest
28 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Michael BATES
Michael BATES
2 years ago

I wish I was there !!

Another abominable situation !

Michael

Keith Howells
Keith Howells
2 years ago

Justice for Sajita

Stephanie Christensen
Stephanie Christensen
1 year ago

What happened to Sajita is absolutely heart-breaking and despicable. Why aren’t the Lebanese government taking any action to help her?

Adele Mercier
Adele Mercier
1 year ago

It is not at all sufficient “for the Khourys to fairly compensate Sajita for her decade of alleged forced labor.” They should go to prison!

ahmet
1 year ago

Slavery is, unfortunately, a historical, cultural and religious reality. From the American founding fathers to Jack London South Pacific Novels, Ottoman eunuchs to Sudanese female circumcision, it has always been a part of human’s inhumanity to humans by order of a higher authority and due to ignorance, greed and sociopathic behavior.

In this day and age, there is too much financial and psychological benefit to the perpetrators to eradicate slavery all together, even in some marriages.

This Campaign made an impact with 10,703 supporters!

Please read our field report with summary and outcome

VIEW FIELD REPORT

Latest activity
  • Latest activity
    Fredrik L.
  • Latest activity
    Lidia B.
  • Latest activity
    Wesley J.
Campaign partners