Libyan media question CNN report on modern slave auctions in the country, a sign of US president’s attacks having real world effect

A tweet by Donald Trump accusing CNN of purveying “fake news” has been seized on by Libyan media to challenge a report by the US broadcaster which suggested modern day slave auctions were being held in the country.



Over the weekend, Trump resumed his attacks on the US network, saying: “CNN International is still a major source of (Fake) news, and they represent our Nation to the WORLD very poorly. The outside world does not see the truth from them!”

But in a sign that the US president’s persistent attacks on the credibility of American news outlets has a real world effect, the broadcaster Libya 218 used the tweet to question the credibility of the CNN video.

Quick guide Modern slavery Show Hide What is modern slavery? About 150 years after most countries banned slavery – Brazil was the last to abolish its participation in the transatlantic slave trade, in 1888 – millions of men, women and children are still enslaved. Contemporary slavery takes many forms, from women forced into prostitution, to child slavery in agriculture supply chains or whole families working for nothing to pay off generational debts. Slavery thrives on every continent and in almost every country. Forced labour, people trafficking, debt bondage and child marriage are all forms of modern-day slavery that affect the world's most vulnerable people.

How many people are enslaved across the world? The UN's International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that about 21 million people are in forced labour at any point in time. The ILO says this estimate includes trafficking and other forms of modern slavery. They calculate that 90% of the 21 million are exploited by individuals or companies, while 10% are forced to work by the state, rebel military groups, or in prisons under conditions that violate ILO standards. Sexual exploitation accounts for 22% of slaves. Where does slavery exist? Slavery exists in one form or another in every country. Asia accounts for more than half of the ILO's 21 million estimate. In terms of percentage of population, central and south-east Europe has the highest prevalence of forced labour, followed by Africa, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Who is profiting? In 2005, the ILO estimated that illegal profits from forced labour amounted to more than $44bn. The UN's global initiative to fight trafficking says people trafficking is the third-largest global criminal industry (pdf) behind drugs and arms trafficking. The ILO estimates that people in forced labour lose at least $21bn each year in unpaid wages and recruitment fees. Slavery also exists within global supply chains, generating huge profits for those who control this industry in free labour.

It suggested many of CNN’s reports often arose out of collusion to serve political objectives, and said: “Here the possibility arises that the channel has published the report of slavery in Libya to secure an as yet hidden political objective.”

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The Libyan broadcaster said it was striking that the president’s tirade came only days after the CNN report, which prompted global outrage when it was published earlier this month.

Libyan authorities announced that an investigation would be opened into the allegations of the report – which included footage apparently showing more than 10 men being sold at auction outside Tripoli.

But on Monday, Libya 218 suggested Trump’s remarks may lead to an investigation of CNN itself.

Libyan diplomats in Africa have also hit back at the CNN reports, saying they were designed to tarnish the image of Libya. The Libyan broadcaster also highlighted a statement by the Niger ambassdor to Libya denying it had any knowledge of a Nigerien citizen being sold as a slave in Libya.

The head of the UN-backed government of national accord, Fayez al-Sarraj, has promised to mount an urgent investigation into the claims after being handed detailed information by CNN more than a week ago, but his officials have also questioned whether the modern day slave auctions had actually taken place in areas of Libya under the control of his Tripoli based government.

Quick guide Why is Libya in chaos? Show Hide What happened after the Libyan revolution? Muammar Gaddafi was ousted as president in 2011 after more than 40 years in power. But deep division between his supporters and adversaries persisted. An internationally recognised National Transitional Council took over, but quickly succumbed to schism, particularly between east and west. How did things get so chaotic? The transitional authorities found it impossible to extend their writ across the whole country, which was splintering into myriad factions: former regime loyalists, revolutionary brigades, local militia, Islamists, old army units, tribes, people trafficking gangs. What about elections? A General National Congress was elected in 2012 and established itself in Tripoli. But when a national parliament was elected in 2014, the GNC refused to accept the result; the new body had to install itself in the eastern city of Tobruk. Libya now effectively had two governments - the former buttressed by Islamist militias in its Tripoli stronghold, the latter supported by Khalifa Haftar, a renegade army colonel now head of the armed forces. What about the international community? Libya has become too unsafe for diplomats and most aid workers. The UN pulled its staff out in 2014 and foreign embassies followed suit. Tripoli international airport is largely destroyed by fighting. Where has this left Libya? The conflict has killed 5,000, ruined the economy, driven half a million from their homes and trapped hundreds of thousands of migrants seeking to get north to Europe in a nightmarish network of brutal camps. Diplomatic attempts at reconciliation have proven fruitless thus far.



At an emergency session of the United Nations security Council in New York, France led calls for targetted sanctions to be applied against individual found to be guilty of running a slave auction.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest People take part in a demonstration against slavery in Libya on 25 November. Photograph: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty Images

French president Emmanuel Macron, currently visiting Africa, will attend the European Union–African Union summit in the Ivory Coast on Wednesday, where he will discuss plans to help evacuate migrants stuck in Libyan detention camps.

French UN ambassador Francois Delattre said the UN should use sanctions to help stamp out trafficking in Libya. “France will propose to assist the sanctions committee ... in identifying responsible individuals and entities for trafficking through Libyan territory,” Delattre said. “We count upon support of the members of the council to make headway to that end.”

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He added “we cannot wait for ... the political (track) to succeed, in order to act in a decisive way against human trafficking in Libya. There is no time to waste.”

Under a sanctions regime set up in 2011, the security council is able to impose a global asset freeze and travel ban on “individuals and entities involved in or complicit in ordering, controlling, or otherwise directing, the commission of serious human rights abuses against persons in Libya”.

France can propose names for targeted UN sanctions but needs to win consensus support within the security council’s 15-member Libya sanctions committee.

William Swing, the head of the UN’s international organisation for migration, said it was necessary to empty the 30 Libyan government-run detention centres containing as many as 15,000 migrants.