London Launch – ‘Still a Travesty: Justice in Immigration Bail Hearings’

Launch of the second report of the Bail Observation Project
7 p.m. Tuesday 14 May 2013
Grand Committee Room, Houses of Parliament.
Room booked by Andrew Smith MP
Allow 30 minutes for getting through security

 For over 25,000 people detained each year in the UK under immigration law powers, to apply for bail is a fundamental right which they need to be able to exercise. This report, based on the observation of 220 bail hearings, shows how that right is curtailed and how the fairness of procedure in the bail court is gravely compromised.

Why we are continuing the project Gill Baden
What’s in the report Bridget Walker
Experience of the bail process Toomaj Karimi-Ayoubloo
An observer’s research perspective Caroline White
An immigration lawyer’s perspective Alison Harvey
Recommendations of the report Bill MacKeith
Discussion on the way forward

If you can, register your intention to attend at bmackeith@gmail.com

Still a Travesty: Justice in Immigration Bail Hearings

Launch of the second report of the Bail Observation Project
7.30 p.m. Tuesday 9th April 2013
Queen Elizabeth House, 3 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TB

For over 25,000 people detained each year in the UK under immigration law powers, to apply for bail is a fundamental right which they need to be able to exercise. This report, based on the observation of 220 bail hearings, shows how that right is curtailed and how the fairness of procedure in the bail court is gravely compromised.

Chair:    Professor Bridget Anderson
Professor of Migration and Citizenship  

Why we are continuing the project Gill Baden
What’s in the report Bridget Walker
Experience of the bail process Toomaj Karimi-Ayoubloo
A research perspective Melanie Griffiths
Recommendations and way forward Bill MacKeith
Discussion from the floor. Chair: Closing remarks

Register your intention to attend  at communications@compas.ox.ac.uk

BOP2 FLYER

19 Years Too Long! Anniversary demo at Campsfield

Nearly 100 people came to the demonstration outside Campsfield main gates to mark the 19^th anniversary of the detention centre opening in 1993.

Despite the rain there was a feeling of hope and inspiration –  that if all the groups concerned worked together, these centres would soon be a memory –  part of a barbaric past, and that people will move freely across the world. 

People from Hackney Migrant Support, No Borders London and Oxford, Coventry Trades Council, Warwick University STAR and Amnesty International – the latter in numbers on a coach, Oxford Migrant Support were among those attending. Some people did the Bike Ride out from Oxford.

Chants calling for freedom of movement, and an end to detentions and deportations, and the drumming of Oxford samba band Breach of the Peace elicited shouts from detainees and a number of appreciative phone calls from them to the mobile whose number was displayed on a banner by demonstrators.

Speakers included

• Toomaj Karimi from Iran and London, who was detained for 18.5 months in Lindholm, Strangeways and Harmondsworth
• Shiar from London No Borders and Stop Deportations and
• John McDonnell, MP for Hayes and Harlington, whose constituency near Heathrow includes both Harmondsworth and Colnbrook detention centres.

Demonstrators also went round the back of the centre to communicate with other detainees, across the football field which detainees have been prevented from using since Campsfield opened.

After the demonstration there was a very useful meeting in Exeter Hall, Kidlington  which made a number of decisions about organisation and future events. Soup was provided at the demo, and lunch at the meeting.

Anniversary demo Saturday 24 November

Benin business man, detained for over 10 months, calls for justice and for treatment of injury sustained in detention

Mr Karim Liadi (age 27) arrived at Heathrow on 29 October 2011 for a 10-day business trip. Mr Liadi had a visa, a return ticket, a hotel reservation, enough funds for his stay and a letter of invitation from a UK company (Hopkinsons Fairdeals).  Yet despite having all the required documentation for his visit, Mr Liadi was detained at Heathrow and taken to Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre the following day. Mr Liadi himself says “I believe that I should have been sent back home on the next available flight to my country if I didn’t qualify.” Instead Mr Liadi was sent to Harmondsworth where he remains to this day.

After a few days in detention in early November, Mr Liadi had a bad fall and broke his ankle, he received treatment within the health care centre of Harmondsworth but is still in pain and reliant on crutches.  It was only at the beginning of the following month, after 40 days in detention, that Mr Liadi received notice that he had been refused Leave To Enter the UK. Mr Liadi believes this decision was made with no real justification as his business contact had spoken with the UKBA to confirm the validity of the visit. Since this point in December last year, Mr Liadi has been seeking justice and treatment for the injury he sustained while in detention.

Mr Liadi says “I came here in a good health and now they are trying to send me back in crutches, I think it is not normal. I am asking for my right. Am begging any authority to put my decision under human right Act. I am not a criminal; I have my family in my country my wife and children.”

Mr Liadi wishes to return to Benin but he wishes to return in the fit and well state that he left his home. Mr Liadi has a wife and three daughters with whom he wishes to be reunited, in Benin, after he has received treatment for the injury he sustained while in detention, so that he is able to work and support them as he could before he left home.

       

Karim at home in Benin, and with his youngest daughter.

Mr Liadi says:
1_) My detention is unlawful
2_) I want the true Justice
3_) There is no reason for my continued detention as I have been granted Injunction from the court.
4_) I would like for the public to know how detainees are being treated in detention and also how the UKBA alongside with the government treating overseas people in the United Kingdom. And let the public decide about this unlawful treatment that we are facing in detention centres.
5_) I want to be treated as soon as possible so that I can be with my family whom I missed the most.

Supporters say that this is a crazy situation, here is someone who does not want to be in this country, that the government have been paying GEO (the profit-making company that run Harmondsworth IRC) to detain for nearly a year now. Mr Liadi sustained an injury while in the custody of GEO and the UKBA and should therefore receive treatment as soon as possible allowing him to return home in the same health that he arrived in this country.

Contact details: liadikarim@gmail.com  Phone number on request.

Campaign to Close Campsfield and Barbed Wire Britain statement – [Previous] Greek government’s announcement of plans to open 30 detention centres for migrants

Campaign to Close Campsfield and Barbed Wire Britain statement

[Previous] Greek government’s announcement of plans to open 30 detention centres for migrants

There are concerns that the Greek government will be coming up with plans during the next few weeks to drastically curb the rights of migrants in that country.  Amongst the options which are being reported is the opening of 30 new ‘closed hospitality centres’ for undocumented migrants.[1] Each is scheduled to hold 1,000 people, making a total 30,000 detained migrants when the plan is complete. This compares with Greece’s total present prison population of under 13,000.[2]

UPDATE on hunger strikers

Tarik Adam Rahma’s removal directions have been cancelled. Thanks so much to everyone who took action today. Concerns persist about his health and continued detention. Updates will be posted when possible.

In addtion, Ali Abdullah Ahmed has been released from detention. Thanks too to all who called for his release.