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The expulsion – on grounds of ‘disturbing public order, tranquillity and social peace’ – resulted from Mr Akman’s participation in a peaceful sit-in with workers from Cencosud, a major Latin American retailer.
Mr Akman, a German national, had been in Peru since June 2014 as an employee of the German union ver.di, affiliated to both UNI global union and the ITF. He advised UNI’s Americas regional office on Peruvian trade, particularly with Chilean multinationals, in order to support trade unions in collective bargaining, trade union campaigns and training new union leaders.
In a letter to Peru's president, Ollanta Humala, on 18 April, Steve Cotton said: “The decision of the Management of Migration Services has been done without complaint or notice of alleged violations of the Aliens Act committed and without legal documentary proof that the alleged acts took place. [It] argues that the facts ‘are corroborated by certified reports of the Peruvian National Police station in San Antonio Miraflores’, but this is not the case.
“This decision with no evidentiary basis affects the human and constitutional right to the presumption of innocence. There is no factual proof that Mr Akman had contravened the Immigration Act, and the implications of this decision will cause damage to his livelihood.
“The international trade union community, including the global unions, are committed to supporting unions all over the world, including in Peru. Decisions such as the one taken by the Peruvian government leave room to believe that it is not committed to respecting freedom of association. As part of the international community, the Peruvian government should understand that respect for freedom of association is not optional.”
Mr Cotton also expressed the ITF’s concerns about Mr Akman’s safety, as he was photographed at the airport and had previously been threatened by the chief of security of a firm providing security services to Cencosud.