Human Trafficking is the movement of human beings across national borders for sale and forced labor. Or translated Slavery.The US has placed key Middle East allies Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar on its blacklist of countries that have failed to stop trafficking people.
Another three countries - Equatorial Guinea, Algeria and Malaysia - were added to the US state department's list in its annual report on trafficking.
Nine other countries were already on the list.
They face sanctions for failing to stop people being forced into the sex trade and other forms of forced labour.
So-called "Tier 3" countries do not fully comply with minimum standards [to fight trafficking] and are not making significant efforts to do so, the report says, making them eligible for US economic sanctions.
Burma, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Uzbekistan and Venezuela were already in Tier 3 group before the state department published the 2007 Trafficking in Persons Report.
Three countries previously in Tier 3 - Belize, Laos and Zimbabwe - were promoted to Tier 2 for improving their records.
But there was some criticism that major nations such as India, Mexico and Russia, all of which have been criticised over human trafficking in recent years, were not included in the list of worst offenders.
'Modern-day slavery'
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the practice was becoming less acceptable year by year.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING BLACKLIST
Bahrain
Kuwait
Oman
Qatar
Equatorial Guinea
Algeria
Malaysia
Myanmar
Cuba
Iran
North Korea
Saudi Arabia
Sudan
Syria
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
"More and more countries are coming to see human trafficking for what it is - a modern-day form of slavery that devastates families and communities around the world."
But in countries with major human trafficking problems, "only a couple of traffickers" were brought to justice, she said. "This cannot and must not be tolerated."
The Middle Eastern countries added to the list were mainly accused of mistreating foreign workers, which they heavily rely on.
"It is especially disappointing that so many wealthy countries in the Near [Middle] East that aren't lacking resources to make significant progress are on Tier 3, for example Saudi Arabia for the third consecutive year," said Mark Lagon, a US ambassador and senior adviser on human trafficking.
US government research shows that 800,000 people are trafficked across national borders each year.
About 80% of those are women and girls and up to half are minors, the state department said.
Human Smuggling is the movement of people over a national border as a means of illegal immigration.
Just so we're all clear.
