A family of Algerian asylum seekers were taken from their home in Hove to Yarl’s Wood detention centre at 6.30am yesterday morning pending deportation to Algeria. The Home Office have booked a flight on February 17th and plan to remove them to Algeria.

Assia Souhalia and her husband Athmane have been in the UK since 2002. Their 2 year old daughter Nouha was born in Brighton in 2006 and has lived here all her life. The family have made a life here and have many links in the local community.

Assia Souhalia fled Algeria in fear for her life in 2002 after her family had suffered years of violence. Two of her brothers, Rachid and Brahim, both policemen, were murdered in two separate, and premeditated shootings in 1993 and 1994, respectively. Neither brothers were involved in political action. Upon hearing of the death of Assia’s eldest brother Rachid, their mother, Cherifa, suffered a heart attack and died.

Since then Assia’s family have repeatedly received death threats and in 1994 Assia’s brother, Brahim, was murdered. Two of Assia’s remaining brothers and sisters both fled Algiers. In 2002 Assia traveled to the UK with the help of members of her family.

Since Assia arrived in the UK only one man has been arrested in relation to the murders of her family members. In 2007 Assia’s sister was badly wounded in a bomb attack. Assia is afraid for her safety should she be deported to Algeria.

Currently Mrs. Soualhia and family have an in country right to appeal against the decision to remove them as they have an outstanding application under Article 8 of the Human Rights Act that has not been decided. The decision to remove them is therefore an immigration decision that has attached to it a right to appeal against it under S82 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. The ground of appeal is protected under S84 of the same act as being incompatible with the human rights of the daughter along with the rest of the family.

We are asking that the Home Office allow the family the time to make the appeal and do not deport them on Tuesday.

Assia, Nouha and Athmane Souhalia are due to be deported from Heathrow Airport, Terminal 5 on BA flight 895 at 8.40 am on Tuesday 17th

Notes For Editors

160 000 people were killed in Algeria between 1992 and 2002, both by the government and by Islamic groups. Policemen and their families have consistently been the victims of attacks. Amnesty International reports that, in 2008, state torture and enforced disappearances were continuing as well as political killings by Islamists.

The Home Office’s policy of pursuing deportations to Algeria has been highly controversial. In 1997 an Algerian policeman was deported to Algiers from the UK, arrested at the airport and murdered by Algerian security forces. In 2007 the British appeal court halted the deportation of three Algerians after judges ruled that the government could not be certain that they would be safe from torture.

For more details call Brighton Voices In Exile on 01273 328 598/07825536489 or email  bvie@hotmail.co.uk