A Brussels court has convicted eight Emirates princesses of human trafficking and degrading treatment of servants in a case that dates back to 2008. The accused were held more than 20 servants in slavery since 2008, but have been acquitted of serious charges.

The issue came to light when one of the servants escaped from a luxury hotel where the princesses were staying and complained of how the servants had to wait on them without a break, sleep on the floor and eat leftovers. They were not allowed a holiday neither could they leave the hotel.

The court has ordered that each pay €165,000 (£145,000; $185,000) and serve a 15-month suspended jail term. The princesses denied all charges against them and their lawyer felt that the court has assessed the case justly.

Some human rights experts feel that slavery has only been abolished in law, but still exists in a lot of Gulf States.