Special section article The political economy of unfree labor and the state: An Indonesian case study Benni Yusriza Paramadina University Abstract Employing the concept of unfree labor, this article explores the role of the state in reinforcing victims’ vulnerability and shaping the political economy of trafficking practices. Based on a case study of trafficking victims in Benjina and Ambon, Maluku Province, Indonesia, I argue that Indonesian authorities’ intervention was driven not by humanitarian interest, nor by the concern for the protection of migrant workers’ rights, but rather by the intent to advance a political and economic agenda against the Thai fishing industry. Consequently, the intervention ignored the exploitative relations of produc- tion that underpinned the vulnerability of victims, despite being conducted in the name of victim-protection and improving livelihoods. Keywords fishermen, human trafficking, unfree labor, Indonesia, political economy Introduction Indonesia is a State party to the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (hereafter, the UN Trafficking Protocol) and has enacted Law 21/2007 on the Eradication Corresponding author: Benni Yusriza, University of Paramadina, Jalan Jenderal Gatot Subroto No.Kav. 97, RT.4/RW.4, Mampang Prapatan, South Jakarta City, Jakarta 12790, Jakarta, DKI Jakarta 12790, Indonesia. Emails: benni.hasbiyalloh@lecturer.paramadina.ac.id; Ben.yusriza@gmail.com Asian and Pacific Migration Journal 2020, Vol. 29(1) 55–78 ! Scalabrini Migration Center 2020 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/0117196820925656 journals.sagepub.com/home/amj