Finland: 8 charged in 1st human trafficking case

Finland: 8 charged in 1st human trafficking case

The accused were part of an Estonian-Finnish ring accused of bringing 15 Estonian women to Finland, including one who was handicapped, and forcing them to work as prostitutes between October 2005 and March, prosecutors said.

If found guilty, the eight face maximum 10-year prison sentences. All have denied the charges. No date has been set yet for the trial.

Last week, Finnish lawmakers approved a bill that bans buying sexual favors from prostitutes if the trade is linked to human trafficking. Prostitution is legal in Finland except in public places, but pimping is a crime, according to the AP.