UK: Modern slavery expert working for Migrants at Work receives death threat from anonymous company, amid rising anti-migrant protests
I never thought [my work] would bring so much trouble – to the extent that somebody would threaten me and my family. I would have expected to receive this letter if I was in Africa, back in my home country [Ivory Coast], but not in the UK.Ake Achi, Founder and Chief Executive, Migrants at Work
In July 2024, Ake Achi, who is a modern slavery expert and founder and chief executive of UK worker rights organisation, Migrants at Work, received a death threat. Achi focuses on supporting migrant workers who are unlawfully charged fees for their employment for jobs in the UK.
The letter was posted to his home, and said Achi had been causing ‘trouble and … losses to [their] client’. It threatened to harm him and his family.
Achi says his case was closed “within 20 minutes” by West Midlands police.
A later article by Info Migrants says that after news of the incident emerged, other human rights defenders contacted Achi saying they had received similar threats, and their complaints were also dismissed by the police. Info Migrants highlights surging far-right anti-migrant activities in the country.