Closing arguments on human traffickers in March

Closing arguments will be delivered on March 15 in the case of three appellants convicted on grounds of human trafficking.

The accused, including a Bahraini man and two Russian girls were earlier slapped with ten years behind bars each after they were found guilty in prostitution case.

The trio reportedly held two females - also Russian nationals - captive and forced them to indulge strangers for money. One of the victims is said to be below 18 years of age. It’s alleged that one of the Russian suspects facilitated the entry of the victims after manipulating them with fake job opportunities at Bahrain Duty Free.  Court files show that the victims were asked to sign documents in English upon their arrival, only to be told later that they were acknowledgement of indebtedness. “She (the first defendant) forced us to indulge in flesh trade in an apartment, in which we were locked up.  She did it after threatening to prosecute us over the signed documents,” the teenage victim told prosecutors.

“She also told us she might kill our families in Russia if we don’t comply with men,” the victim added.

It is claimed that the accused forced one of the victims into an abortion after she got pregnant during her captivity.

The defendants were nabbed after a police tip-off by one of the victims. Prosecutors charged them with living on prostitution, locking two women and forcing them into prostitution.