CIVICUS, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), ForumCiv, Front Line Defenders, People in Need, Protection International, SICAL-Europa and World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) signed a letter calling "for justice in the modern slavery case against Furukawa S.A. in Ecuador".

On 15 January 2021, the Ecuadorian courts recognized for the first time that the conditions of Furukawa Plantaciones C.A. workers constituted a violation of the right to equality, non-discrimination, the prohibition of slavery by serfdom, the right to health, housing, education and identity. The judgment established the responsibility of both the Ecuadorian State and Furukawa Plantaciones C.A. del Ecuador, and ordered them to implement several clearly stipulated reparation measures. On appeal, the Provincial Court of Justice of the Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas region confirmed the company's liability, but exonerated the Ecuadorian State from liability.

The signatories said that no progress has been made in the application of this sentence almost three years later, while the economic and social situation of the abacaleros is increasingly precarious and the threats and harassment against them have worsened.

The statement signatories expressed concern at the delay of the Constitutional Court in examining the case and asked the Ecuadorian authorities to enforce the sentence of the Provincial Court of Justice of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, including compliance by Furukawa Plantaciones C. A of full reparation.

We invited Furukawa Plantaciones to respond to the allegations in the letter; it did not.