The Families of Migrants Held Hostage Are Using Facebook to Raise Money for Smugglers’ Ransoms

In the photo, a gun and sneakered foot press Mulugeta’s head to the floor. There’s blood running across his face, and what looks like vomit congealing below his mouth. His feet and wrists are chained together behind his back.
This was the image of the 27-year-old Eritrean that was uploaded to Facebook in October, when Mulugeta’s family realized they had exhausted all other options to raise ransom money.

In the photo, a gun and sneakered foot press Mulugeta’s head to the floor. There’s blood running across his face, and what looks like vomit congealing below his mouth. His feet and wrists are chained together behind his back. This was the image of the 27-year-old Eritrean that was uploaded to Facebook in October, when Mulugeta’s family realized they had exhausted all other options to raise ransom money.