THE HAGUE, Jan 27, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - An Eritrean man accused of running a human trafficking ring in which migrants were tortured faces judgement in a Dutch court Tuesday in one of the largest cases of its kind.

Prosecutors accuse the man, identified as Amanuel W., of spearheading a group involved in "human trafficking of the most horrific nature" from Eritrea via Libya to Europe.

During the journey, gang members allegedly abused thousands of migrants before detaining them in overcrowded and dirty camps in Libya, extorting their families for large sums of money.

The court in the northern Dutch city of Zwolle, heard testimony of victims being tortured while on the phone to their families in the Netherlands, who were forced to pay to make the abuse stop.

Prosecutors have called for a sentence of 20 years, accusing him of leading a criminal organisation with the intent to commit human trafficking, extortion, hostage-taking, and sexual offences.

"He deprived the victims of their freedom and dignity," the public prosecutor argued in court.

"He held them in appalling conditions, starved them, tortured them, and denied them essential medical care," the prosecutor alleged.

Only once family members had transferred money were the victims put on rickety boats for the perilous trip across the Mediterranean Sea. Many drowned in the crossing.

The suspect has not made substantive comments in court, except to deny the charges. He says it is a case of mistaken identity.

His lawyers have also argued that he has already been tried in Ethiopia over largely the same allegations and therefore cannot be put on trial again.

W. has been in custody in the Netherlands since October 2022. There is confusion over both his name and his age. He says he has a different name and is 46, not 42.

There are a total of seven suspected human traffickers on trial in the case, which prosecutors said is the largest such trial ever heard in the Netherlands.

Prosecutors believe the court has jurisdiction as family members based in the Netherlands were extorted, often for thousands of euros.

The Dutch investigation lasted several years and was carried out with other international bodies such as the International Criminal Court and Interpol.

Libya has struggled to recover from chaos that erupted after a NATO-backed uprising in 2011 overthrew longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

Smugglers and human traffickers have taken advantage of the instability, with the country facing criticism over conditions for migrants and rights groups levelling accusations of extortion and slavery.

Prosecutors believe W. is one of the "most prolific" smugglers on this route from conflict-torn regions in Africa via Libya to Europe.

The court is expected to start delivering its verdict at around 1:15pm local time (1215 GMT).