Leisure Clothing Directors Claim Double Jeopardy in Human Trafficking Case

Bin Han and Jia Liu, directors of the now-shuttered textile factory Leisure Clothing in Malta, have filed an application in the Constitutional Court claiming double jeopardy in their human trafficking case. The directors, who were sentenced to 6-year jail terms and fined €200,000 in 2023 for human trafficking and exploiting Vietnamese and Chinese employees at their Bulebel-based factory, argue that the case constitutes double jeopardy as they had previously been fined €500 in 2016 for breaching employment law in the same case.

The directors contend that the human trafficking case and the employment law breach case were based on the same facts, involved the same accused, and occurred during the same timeframe. Their lawyers have filed the application, citing a breach of their fundamental human rights and requesting that the 6-year jail sentence be declared null on double jeopardy grounds.

Why this matters: This case highlights the complex legal issues surrounding human trafficking and labor exploitation, as well as the potential for overlap between criminal and civil proceedings. The outcome of this constitutional challenge could have significant implications for how such cases are handled in the future.

Leisure Clothing was a major textile manufacturer in Malta that shut down in 2017 following the arrest of the two directors, who were accused of exploiting hundreds of workers, including Chinese and Vietnamese, by underpaying them and providing them with 'inedible' food. The directors now await the Constitutional Court's decision on their double jeopardy claim, which could potentially overturn their 6-year jail sentence if the court finds in their favor.

Key Takeaways

• Leisure Clothing directors claim double jeopardy in human trafficking case
• Directors sentenced to 6-year jail, €200k fine for exploiting Vietnamese, Chinese workers
• Argue previous €500 fine for employment law breach constitutes double jeopardy
• Seek to overturn 6-year sentence, citing breach of fundamental human rights
• Outcome could impact how such labor exploitation cases are handled in the future