‘Wicked problem’: UN report details torture, abuse of persons trafficked into cyber scam centres

A United Nations report on Friday detailed instances of torture, sexual abuse and exploitation, food deprivation, solitary confinement and other human rights abuses suffered by persons trafficked from several countries into cybercrime operations in Southeast Asia and beyond.

Terming it a “wicked problem”, the report released by the UN Human Rights Office sought urgent attention to the critical need for a human rights solution to the crisis, adding that it must be centred on the increased protection of survivors and include a robust focus on prevention.

The report came weeks after the Indian government told Parliament on February 5 that nearly 7,000 Indian citizens had been rescued from cybercrime centres in Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos between 2022 and 2025.

In its report, the UN Human Rights Office said that estimates of the scam workforce point to the involvement of at least 3 lakh persons from 66 countries. It added that acquiring data on the workforce was a challenge.

The UN Human Rights Office said that the details recorded in its report had been gathered primarily from 19 victims of such violations, including four women, between July and September.

The victims originated from India, Bangladesh, China, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Syria, Thailand, Vietnam and Zimbabwe, it said, adding that they had been trafficked into...

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