A World Health Organization (WHO) representative in Thailand is being accused of keeping his Ethiopian maid in slave-like conditions, the maid’s lawyer said Friday.

Yonas Tegegn, an Ethiopian WHO official based in Thailand, is being accused of not paying the maid and confiscating her passport.

“After reviewing statements made by his maid, we have filed complaints of human trafficking and slavery with police,” said her lawyer Surapong Kongchantuk, a human rights advocate at the Lawyers Council of Thailand.

Police have yet to formally question Tegegn or his maid, Surapong said.

Calls to Tegegn’s office were not returned.

The case came to light after the maid reportedly escaped from Tegegn’s home inside a gated community where she was allegedly forced to work from 5 am to midnight without pay for the last two years.

In response to the allegations, the WHO released a statement on Thursday that it would take the accusations seriously. News24