This ground-breaking case means that a British fashion retailer that knowingly, or with suspicion, imports goods produced under criminal circumstances, such as forced Uighur labour, could be prosecuted under the Proceeds of Crime Act for trafficking in criminal proceeds.
The Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), which brought the case to the Court of Appeal together with the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), claimed that this is the “first case in the world” where Uyghur forced laborers “have successfully disrupted supply chains complicit in the ongoing genocide of Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples in East Turkestan/Xinjiang, China.”
GLAN said: “Companies must clean up their supply chains now or risk prosecution.”
The organisation added that the case challenges the alleged failure of the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to investigate companies suspected of importing and trading cotton for forced labour.
GLAN and WUC hope the quashed decision will lead to a full investigation into imports from the Uyghur region and a commitment from the NCA to prevent contaminated goods from entering the UK market.
GLAN senior lawyer Dearbhla Minogue said: “This trial has been crucial in recognising the mass atrocities committed by the Chinese government against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims, and in holding to account those who are complicit in or profit from these crimes.
“There is a wealth of evidence that British companies are importing cotton for forced labour from China. Following this ruling, we expect the National Crime Agency to investigate and prosecute where necessary to prevent cotton for forced labour from flooding the UK market.”
GLAN lawyer Leanna Burnard added: “This ruling is a watershed moment for supply chains that profit from forced labour and other crimes. When companies know or suspect they are trading the proceeds of crime, they are committing a crime themselves when they transfer those goods. We hope this will mark the end of the UK market being used to launder the profits of mass atrocities, and that British shoppers can expect that their purchases will no longer support the suffering of others.”
WUC UK director Rahima Mahmut said: “We now urgently call on the government to introduce tougher legislation.”
In April 2024, the European Parliament approved legislation banning the sale, import and export of goods made using forced labour within the EU from 2027.
“UK fashion retailers trading forced labour goods face prosecution” was originally conceived and published by Just Style, a GlobalData brand.
The information on this site is included in good faith for general information purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely and we make no representation, warranty or guarantee, express or implied, as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
