1. Declaration of freedom
Since it appears to be the will of God that man should be free as He has made all men of one blood therefore shall the people of Tonga and all who sojourn or may sojourn in this Kingdom be free for ever. And all men may use their lives and persons and time to acquire and possess property and to dispose of their labour and the fruit of their hands and to use their own property as they will.
2. Slavery prohibited.
No person shall serve another against his will except he be undergoing punishment by law and any slave who may escape from a foreign country to Tonga (unless he be escaping from justice being guilty of homicide or larceny or any great crime or involved in debt) shall be free from the moment he sets foot on Tongan soil for no person shall be in servitude under the protection of the flag of Tonga.
Constitution of Tonga 1875 (REV. 1988) (PDF)
114 Unlawful imprisonment
Every person who shall unlawfully imprison or detain another person shall be liable to a fine not exceeding $500 and in default of payment thereof to imprisonment for any period not exceeding one year.
128. Abduction of women.
Any person who shall by force take away or detain any woman of any age with intent to marry or carnally know her or to cause her to be married or carnally known by any other person shall on conviction thereof be liable to imprisonment for any term not exceeding 7 years.
The Criminal Offences Act (PDF)
2 Interpretation
“exploitation” includes all forms of sexual exploitation (including sexual servitude and exploitation of another person’s prostitution), forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude and the removal of internal organs;
“trafficking in persons” means the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a person for the purpose of exploitation;
24 Offence of trafficking in persons
Any person engaged in trafficking in persons commits an offence and upon conviction shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 25 years.
25 Offence of trafficking in children
Any person engaged in trafficking a child commits an offence and upon conviction shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 30 years.
26 Consent not a defence
It is not a defence for offences under sections 24 and 25 that the –
(a) trafficked person consented; or
(b) intended exploitation did not occur.
Transnational Crimes Act PDF)
