12 on trial in China's worst known slavery scandal

BEIJING: The trial of 12 people charged in connection with China's forced labour scandal at brick kilns has been started by a Chinese court in north China's Shanxi Province.

Those on trial at the Intermediate People's Court of Linfen City included kiln boss Wang Bingbing, foreman Heng Tinghan and employees Zhao Yanbing, Heng Mingyang and Zhao Fengdi.

The People's Procuratorate of Linfen City said the charges included illegal detention, forced labour and murder, Xinhua news agency reported.

The use of slave workers hit the headlines after more than 400 parents in Henan Province posted a call-for-help letter on the Internet last month, saying their missing children had been sold to small brick kilns in Shanxi and Henan as slave workers.

In Shanxi, 32 people from 12 regions across China were enticed or kidnapped and trucked to work as slaves in a brick kiln in Caosheng Village in Guangshengsi Township.

The labourers were forced to work for long hours on poor food. Dogs were used to prevent them from escaping. Many received burns and other were injuried while working in the hot kiln.

One person died in November 2006 and his death is being investigated.

A total of 359 people, including 12 children, had been rescued from illegal brick kilns in Shanxi and police has arrested 38 people by June 22.

Police in Henan Province rescued 217 people, including 29 children, and arrested 120 people in a four-day crackdown involving more than 35,000 police checking 7,500 kilns.