The Daily Telegraph

Arab princesses found guilty of abusing servants

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EIGHT Emirati princesses have been convicted of human traffickin­g by a Belgian court in a case stemming from their treatment of servants at a Brussels hotel nearly 10 years ago.

The women, who are from Abu Dhabi’s ruling al-nahyan family, were handed 15-month suspended jail sentences for human traffickin­g and degrading treatment by Brussels criminal court yesterday.

Their lawyer, Stephen Monod, said the defence was pleased that the case had finally been resolved after nearly a decade.

“Belgian justice has appropriat­ely assessed this case which has generated many misconcept­ions,” he said.

The women were acquitted of the more serious charge of inhuman treatment. They were also ordered to pay a fine of €165,000 (£145,000), with half the sum suspended.

Sheikha Hamda al-nahyan and her seven daughters did not appear in court during the trial.

The case was brought after a servant of the family slipped out of the hotel where the women stayed for several months in 2007 and 2008 and complained to Belgian police.

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