Tag Archives: No Detention

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Campaign with petition for Abdul Ghafar Rajabali – release from detention, no deportation

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Update 16/5/2013 (full details below):

Abdul has been given his scheduled date for removal and flight time from the UK for early morning next Wednesday 22nd May at 00.10am. He is understandably very worried about this but his many friends continue to support him in every way they can.

What you can do:
– first and foremost, sign the petition at the website below:
– write to your local MP (or the relevant office for external affairs if you’re outside of the UK)
– write to Home Secretary, Theresa May MP at public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
– copy your email to Minister for Immigration, Mark Harper MP, at ministerforimmigration@homeoffice.gsi.gov
– telephone the office of the Home Secretary, Theresa May MP, on +44(0)20 7035 4848 or +44(0)870 606 7766
– telephone the office of the Minister for Immigration on +44(0)20 7035 4848 or +44(0)20 7219 5056

Let’s make a big push over the next few days to help ensure that Abdul stays.

Solidarity with Abdul!

We have been contacted by friends in Leicester about the detention of Abdul Ghafar Rajabali. As part of his asylum requirement, Abdul regularly reported to the UK Border Agency reporting station in Loughborough. However, while reporting to UKBA on Friday 10th May 2013, he was detained and held at Loughborough police station. From there, he was to be transferred to Morton Hall Detention Centre in Lincolnshire to await his removal back to Afghanistan. Morton Hall Visitors’ Group are aware of this.

Petition | Release Abdul Ghafar Rajabali and halt his deportation | Change.org
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/release-abdul-ghafar-rajabali-and-halt-his-deportation

Here’s Abdul’s story in brief:

Abdul is being held in Morton Hall Detention Centre awaiting deportation to Afghanistan
He fled Afghanistan as a teenager to avoid the option of being either press-ganged into the Taliban or shot
His father was Russian and all his family were consequently murdered in connection with this
He arrived in the UK six years ago, when still a minor
He now knows no one in Afghanistan, would be unable to cope and would be in extreme danger there
He suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome and has other medical problems
He has made many friends in Leicester, helps out with Leicester City of Sanctuary based at the Cathedral and participates in a local anti-racist/anti-fascist football team, FC Kolektivo Victoria – https://www.facebook.com/pages/FC-Kolektivo-Victoria/199020316797628
He is an asset to his local community

It’d be much appreciated if you could sign the petition to halt his deportation (in cases like this, they can be very useful):
Petition | Release Abdul Ghafar Rajabali and halt his deportation | Change.org
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/release-abdul-ghafar-rajabali-and-halt-his-deportation

You will also find more information on his case and tips on how to help Abdul further at this website: Campaign for Abdul Ghafar Rajabali
http://releaseabdul.blogspot.co.uk/

Also, if you could forward this info to anyone else you reckon would support Abdul, that’d be ace.

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Morton Hall Noise Demo this Saturday – 23rd July 2011

This Saturday (23rd July) there will be a noise demo outside Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre in Lincolnshire to express our disgust and anger against the opening of another new detention centre. We’ll be bringing a sound system, pots and pans and we encourage others to do the same.

We will meet at Nottingham train station at 10am to catch the train arriving at Swinderby at 11.10. The detention centre is 10 minutes walk from the station. If people are coming from elsewhere, we suggest meeting at the detention centre at 11.30. The address is Morton Hall IRC, Swinderby, Lincolnshire, LN6 9PT. We encourage as many people to get themselves down there with banners, placards and noise making materials.

Morton Hall detention centre was formally opened by immigration minister Damien Green on 1st June. The centre holds single men and has 393 bed spaces, there are already men imprisoned inside, and ongoing refurbishment work means that detainees will arrive in stages until the centre is finished in September. This is a chance for us to show solidarity with those imprisoned and to let them know that there are people who oppose the way in which they have been treated by the UK Border Agency.

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Protest on the day of Moreton Hall detention centre official opening – June 1st 2011

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On Wednesday June 1st 2011 a noisy demonstration was held outside Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre in Swinderby, Lincolnshire, expressing dismay, disgust and anger against the opening of another new detention centre. No Borders activists from Nottingham were joined by Campaign to Close Campsfield (Oxford).

Morton Hall was officially opened by immigration minister Damian Green. The centre, previously a prison, has space to hold single men with 393 bed spaces. There is ongoing refurbishment work at the centre, so detainees will arrive in stages until the centre is finished (due to complete in September).

Background:
http://ncadc.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/new-immigration-prison-official-opening-ceremony/
http://www.nobordersnottingham.org.uk/regional-news-and-events/new-detention-centre-announced-at-hmp-morton-hall-in-lincolnshire/

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Barnardo’s role in Child Detention revealed

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Does Barnardo’s legitimise child detention? By Frances Webber 17 March 2011, 10:00pm

“The children’s charity’s decision to work with the UK Border Agency (UKBA) in its planned short-term family detention facility has caused alarm among campaigners.”

See also: Barnardo’s to operate detention centre in which children will be imprisoned in ‘secure’ accommodation

Barnardo’s won’t lessen trauma of child detention

Why Barnardo’s is providing support for families at new pre-departure accommodation: http://www.barnardos.org.uk/news_and_events/current_news.htm?ref=67322

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‘New’ detention centre announced at HMP Morton Hall in Lincolnshire

Of the three prisons that the government have just announced that they will be closing over the next few months, HMP Morton Hall on the Notts/Lincolnshire border will now be re-roled as a detention centre. A closed adult female prison with 329 places, it has already been in use as a specialist centre for Foreign National Prisoners for a couple of years, and will now be handed over to the UK Borders Agency. This should bring the number of UK detention places up to something like 2900 places.

Source: http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/newsrelease130111a.htm

Background: http://nobordersbrighton.blogspot.com/2010/02/hmp-morton-hall-to-become-irc.html

See also:
http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/news/Children-time-visit-prison-mums/article-1262383-detail/article.html

No Borders Nottingham aims to hightlight the continued use of Morton Hall as a place of detention. We aim to organise a workshop / roadshow around the issue of Morton Hall and how to support people detained there. The last Government dropped the idea of using it as a detention centre and an earlier workshop / roadshow was put on hold. For details about this, please watch this space.

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FREE THE YARL’S WOOD 3

In February 2010 prisoners at Yarl’s Wood immigration prison organised a hunger strike. They demanded an end to indefinite and abusive imprisonment. Their courageous protest lasted five weeks, despite violent attacks by guards at the detention centre.

As retribution several people involved in the hunger strike were moved to prisons. Three of those targetted in this way are still behind bars: Denise McNeil, Sheree Wilson and Aminata Camara. They have been away from their families, friends and communities for too long.

Their struggle was “for everyone in detention”. We need to support those who take action on the inside. When they use prison to try to silence resistance we will fight back. At the start of a new year, let’s show them that they have our support and that the struggle for freedom goes on.

At 4pm on New Year’s Eve demonstrate outside Holloway Prison, Parkhurst Road, in solidarity with the Yarl’s Wood 3. Please invite your friends and family. All ages are welcome. Bring noise-makers. [Map]

The nearest underground station to HMP Holloway is Caledonian Road on the Piccadilly line. Buses from outside the station go to the prison.

The Yarl’s Wood 3 will also have bail hearings in the coming month. Your support is very welcome. If you would like to come to the court to show support for them contact freedenisenow@gmail.com.

For a good source of more information visit: http://www.ncadc.org.uk/campaigns/DeniseMcNeil.html

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Campfield detainees on hunger strike – statement and demonstration

A Solidarity Demonstration will be taking place tonight, 3rd August, 6pm at Campsfield House, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxfordshire OX5 1RE.

Statement from detainees in Campsfield released yesterday afternoon by email:

“Unlawful Detention of Detainees
147 detainees are staging a protest by refusing meals at Campsfield
immigration removal centre. The protest erupted as a result of the
treatment of detainees in detention centres especially for people who
have been detained for a long period of time. We continue to refuse
meals indefinitely for our voices to be heard.
Continue reading Campfield detainees on hunger strike – statement and demonstration →

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No Borders Nottingham info-nights

As advertised on Notts Indymedia, No Borders Nottingham held the first in series of info-nights on Wed. 19 May, 7pm, at the Sumac Centre. The first info-night was on Detention and Deportation. The next info-night is on June 23rd on Capitalism and Migration, venue details to be announced.

Schedule

19 May – Detention and Deportation
23 June – Capitalism and Migration
21 July – Frontex
25 Aug. – Clandestinity and the struggle of migrants
22 Sept. – European migration policy

In preparation for the Brussels No Borders Camp in September, Nottingham No Borders is holding a series of info nights as an introduction into the topics that will be discussed at the camp. With films, food, and lots of interesting discussion, we hope to create an informal and open space for those who may be new to the politics of No Borders as well as those who would like the chance to delve more deeply into the details of the UK and European border regime and how it can be challenged.

Detention and Deportation
Wednesday 19 May, 7pm, Sumac Centre

The system of detention and deportation is one of the main ways in which the state attempts to control migration and violently curtail people’s freedom to move. What can we do to work in solidarity with those in detention? How do we challenge the private companies that make a profit from running detention centres and forcibly removing people? Is there a wider battle to be fought against the prison system as a whole?

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Death in detention – UK as a country of sanctuary?

Today, at Oakington detention centre in Cambridgeshire, many other migrant people held there against their will have protested following the death of a 40 year old man earlier in the morning:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/8623025.stm
Downplaying the seriousness of another death in a detention centre and the response by detainees, press have reported that cops have been sent in to negotiate about the ‘disturbance’, backed up by ‘protective kit’ (as if it’s police safety that is the issue here rather than the safety of the people locked up in an old RAF base converted into a prison!). But this should not be downplayed. Death in detention is certainly not a new phenomenon. As long ago as 2005 deaths and suicides in detention centres were being highlighted: Continue reading Death in detention – UK as a country of sanctuary? →

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SOLIDARITY WITH YARL’S WOOD HUNGER STRIKERS

DEMO AT SERCO OFFICES, 18-22 HAND COURT, HOLBORN, LONDON WC1V 6JF.
FRIDAY 19th FEBRUARY, 2.30pm

Over 50 women have been on hunger strike at Yarls Wood Immigration
Prison near Bedford since Friday 5th February, demanding their
immediate release from indefinite detention.

More info, Read more and visit: http://london.noborders.org.uk
Continue reading SOLIDARITY WITH YARL’S WOOD HUNGER STRIKERS →