A year after court ruling, victims of ‘contemporary slavery’ still wait for justice, UN experts say

More than a year after Ecuador’s Constitutional Court ruling recognising slave-like conditions at the company Furukawa Plantaciones C.A. in Ecuador, victims of contemporary forms of slavery continue to live in extremely precarious conditions, United Nations officials* said Wednesday.

Furukawa Plantation workers outside their living quarters in 2022.

“It is deeply concerning that despite this historic ruling, neither Furukawa Plantaciones C.A. nor the Ecuadorian State have fully implemented the court-ordered reparations,” the officials said. “The judgment recognised serious and systematic human rights violations, including forced labour, servitude, child labour and a lack of access to decent work, health care, education, adequate housing, equality and non-discrimination,” they said.

The Furukawa Plantation is one of the world’s largest producers of abacá fiber. also known as Manila hemp.

The Constitutional Court’s judgement, issued in December 2024, found that the Ecuadorian State had “failed to prevent or protect against these abuses prior to 2018, allowing them to persist for decades.” While the court ordered comprehensive reparations for the 342 victims, implementation has been minimal, limited to a public apology made by the Government in May 2025.

Furukawa has reportedly rejected the ruling and engaged in systematic harassment of plaintiffs, including by filing unfounded criminal complaints and offering minimal out-of-court settlements. Furthermore, Furukawa has terminated the employment of all plaintiffs, leaving many unemployed, while some workers have been rehired under precarious arrangements.

The company has also allegedly launched a public stigmatisation campaign, portraying plaintiffs as opportunistic claimants, despite consistent rulings from three levels of the judiciary confirming the existence of slavery-like practices. Today, Furukawa remains operational and continues abacá export activities.

“Not only has the company subjected workers to severe labour exploitation for decades, but it has also re-victimised the survivors instead of recognising them and fulfilling its obligations as established by the Constitutional Court,” the experts said.

“We are deeply concerned that the Ecuadorian State has not taken effective measures nor guaranteed material reparations, creating a high-risk environment for survivors and human rights defenders,” they said.

Some plaintiffs have reportedly attempted to occupy company land to press for reparations, and now face eviction. Furukawa is reportedly planning to transfer productive land to other agricultural companies, which has raised concerns that related parties may be used to evade compliance with the reparations process.

“Ecuador now has a historic opportunity to implement the Constitutional Court’s ruling in full, uphold justice for victims and prevent the recurrence of slavery-like practices,” the experts said.

“Both the State and the company Furukawa must act without further delay to ensure full reparations, protection for victims, and policies to prevent the repetition of these serious human rights violations,” they said. “Failure to do so may lead to an escalation of current tensions, endangering the lives of those who have already suffered for decades.”
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Credit: The National Tribune