Slavery Slavery was a practice and institution where sentient beings were bought , sold , and held as property of other sentient beings . History . Clone Wars . Although the Galactic Republic outlawed slavery , it still existed around the time of the Clone Wars . The Outer Rim planet of Tatooine had a slave population living in Mos Espa , and slaves had chips implanted into their bodies that would explode if the slave attempted to escape . Centuries earlier , Zygerria controlled a powerful Slave Empire , which some Zygerrian s attempted to rebuild during the Clone Wars . Age of the Empire . During the early years of the Galactic Empire , Zygerrian raiders attacked Syngia Station in the Sertar sector and enslaved many of the inhabitants . Penn Zarang , who later became an Imperial cadet at the Arkanis Academy , survived the slave raid by hiding in a maintenance conduit . The murder of his father and the death of his mother while en - route to Zygerria convinced Penn to become an Imperial cadet . The raid occurred at a time when the Imperial Military had not expanded into the Outer Rim . During the Age of the Empire , slavery once again became commonplace , particularly among alien species , which were considered inferior by the human - dominated Galactic Empire . With the rise of the Empire , the softening and eventual repeal of laws outlawing slavery led to the classification of some species , such as the Wookiee s , as non - sentient . As a result , the Wookiees were pressed into slavery building much of the Imperial war machine , or serving in the notorious spice mines of Kessel following the Empire ' s conquest of their homeworld of Kashyyyk . Another example were the reptilian Bodach ' i species who were enslaved and forced to work in the species mines of Kerev Doi as " reparations " for their homeworld ' s repeated defiance of Imperial decrees . In addition , the Empire used slaves from several alien species to keep Weapons Factory Alpha ( the largest weapons factory in the galaxy ) running day and night . After being given command of the " Imperial " - class Star Destroyer " Chimaera " , Commodore Thrawn discovered that the Empire was trafficking Wookiee slaves after responding to a distress call from the troop transport " Sempre " . The slaves had been liberated by an attack force consisting of the frigate " Castilus " and two squadrons of V - 19 Torrent starfighter s . The insurgents then launched an attack on Baklek Base . Thrawn led a successful military operation to neutralize the insurgents , forcing their surrender . When Lieutenant Commander Eli Vanto expressed his unease about slavery , Thrawn tried to rationalize the Empire ' s actions . The tentacle - headed Twi ' lek , mostly their females , were often captured and sold into slavery as they were considered beautiful . Many females of other races , not just the Twi ' lek , were often forced to wear revealing outfits and to dance for their owners . In many other cases , those that were not actually slaves in name nevertheless worked in near slave - like existences , forced to endure grueling jobs to eke out a meager living while also often having to contend with corrupt Imperial officials . Someone who engaged in practices related to slavery , such as capturing people to make them into slaves , was known as a slaver . Post - Galactic Civil War . Following the Battle of Endor , the New Republic ' s provisional Galactic Senate in Chandrila diverted substantial resources to compensating alien species that had been enslaved by the Galactic Empire . In 5 ABY , Han Solo and Chewbacca led a successful slave uprising on Kashyyyk against Grand Moff Lozen Tolruck , the leader of Imperial territory G5 - 623 . One of Tolruck ' s subordinates Commandant Theodane Sardo toyed with the idea of farming enslaved Wookiees for their meat . As part of the plan , the former Imperial loyalty officer Sinjir Rath Velus disabled the inhibitor chips controlling the Wookiee slaves with a hyperspace transceiver spike . Following a battle on the ground and space above Kashyyyk , the planet was liberated by New Republic forces led by Admiral Ackbar and Prince ss Leia Organa . Wookiee and New Republic forces later liberated more Wookiee slaves including Chewbacca ' s son Lumpawaroo in mopping - up operations against Imperial holdouts on Kashyyyk . Despite the New Republic ' s ban on slavery , slaves were still known to be exported from seedy places like Chrome Citadel to Nal Hutta under the classification of " live cargo . " In addition , individuals were still known to be indentured as servants . During an undercover mission to Sibensko , Senator Leia Organa assumed the identity of a recently - freed indentured servant . During the search for the explorer Lor San Tekka , the First Order ' s Security Bureau Agent Terex owned several slaves from various species including an Abednedo and a Rodian . He justified his behavior on the grounds that each of these aliens served a particular use and that the Empire practiced slavery , citing the enslavement of the Wookiees as one example . Captain Phasma disapproved of his ownership of slaves and regarded the First Order as purer and stronger than the Empire .