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UK Migration Newswire Archive

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Migrant Support Volunteer Arrested in NW France

27-02-2009 17:19

In recent months a number of volunteers for French migrant support groups have been arrested. This appears to be a deliberate policy on the part of the French judiciary and police as the Sarkozy governement increases repressive measures against the hundreds of migrants in the area.

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Flying people to torture and death

27-02-2009 14:19

A Brighton family was forcibly deported to Algeria last week on an Air Algérie flight from Heathrow. The first attempt to deport them on a British Airways flight three days before had failed, allegedly because there was 'a problem with their tickets.' Both times campaigners from Brighton and London gathered at the airport and leafleted crew members and passengers to try and get them to protest on board, which may explain why the deportation was cancelled the first time. Earlier that week, about 50 Iraqi refugees refused asylum were not so lucky to have 'tickets with problems' or protesters leafleting at the airport. Instead, they were surreptitiously taken through the VIP entrance at Stansted airport and put on a special 'ethnic charter flight' operated by a Czech airline, which carried them to Erbil in northern Iraq. A few deportees were taken off the plane, just before it took off, after last-minute interventions by solicitors and MPs. One deportee was flown back to London after winning a High Court injunction.

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Lampedusa's burning - Should have been the Italian embassy?

26-02-2009 23:17

A small, loud protest was today held at the Italian embassy in London in solidarity with the migrant prisoners and residents of the Lampedusa island, Italy, which is being turned into one big concentration camp to protect the southern borders of Fortress Europe (see  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/02/422754.html). With two megaphones and leaflets, the handful of protesters from No Borders, Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!, Global Women's Strike and All African Women's Group managed to draw some attention from neighbours, passers-by and, of course, cops.

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Protest at Manchester Uni for the rights of asylum seekers and refugees

26-02-2009 14:54

Manchester University campaign group STAR (Student Action for Asylum Seekers and Refugees) is protesting outside the Student's Union at 12pm Friday 26th February. The protest is to highlight the injustice and unfairness of the aslyum system in the UK which prevents aslylum seekers from working. Protesters will shackle their hands to symbolise the restrictions placed on the persecuted and marginalised asylum seekers in this country. STAR will be joined by asylum seekers and members of Manchester Refugee Support Network and Refugee Action. All welcome.

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Close Communications House - dem o Tuesday 3 March

25-02-2009 12:05

DEMONSTRATE AGAINST BRITAIN ’S RACIST IMMIGRATION LAWS

Show solidarity with asylum seekers and immigrants

TUESDAY 3 March 1-2pm

Outside the UK Immigration Service Communications House
210 Old Street, London , EC1V 9BR
(nearest tube – Old Street )

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Defend Yahya al-Faifi

25-02-2009 00:18

In London
Thursday 19th February was an international day of action to Defend Yahya Al Faifi and his family, who live in Cardiff, are now threatened with deportation after their asylum application was refused. The family were forced to flee Saudi Arabia in 2004 after receiving threats for Yahya’s trade union activity.

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Lampedusa's prison for migrants burns: Picket of Italian Embassy

24-02-2009 12:38

Protests and a general strike of the residents in Lampedusa, who do not want their island to become 'a new Alcatraz'; mass escapes involving over 1000 migrants detained in the 'reception' centre; mass hunger strikes by the migrants against their deportation to Tunisia and the inhumane way they have been treated; at least 11 suicide attempts; riots that led to the Lampedusa centre (not in line with fire regulations) to be half destroyed by fire, the 17th February. The number of persons injuried may be around 80, 60 immigrants and 20 policemen. Migrants were kept locked inside the burning centre.

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Release Delshad Zorab and grant him asylum in the UK

20-02-2009 15:12

Delshad on the *SYMAAG march for "Dignity Not Detention" October 2007, now incar
On the morning of Friday February 13th Delshad Namiq Zorab was taken from his home in Doncaster to a police station and then to Campsfield IRC. Many of you will have met Delshad: he has been an active campaigner for the right to asylum. Now, locked in Campsfield IRC, he fears that he will be forcibly deported to Iraqi Kurdistan where he has every reason to believe that his life would be in real danger. This is despite the fact that his appeal for asylum is still pending: Delshad should not - even under this Government's asylum laws - be detained or deported.

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Lampedusa burns

20-02-2009 14:43

Detention centre's central building destroyed by fire during riots. The police prevents the immigrants from leaving the burning centre. Many suffer from smoke inhalation. 60 migrants may be injuried.

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Souhalia Family to be deported 2pm Friday - Call for Solidarity

20-02-2009 01:15

Assia Souhalia her husband Athmane nationals of Algeria and their UK born daughter Nouha, residents of Brighton were 'Snatched' from their home last week and are currently detained in Yarl's Wood IRC

see  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/02/421945.html

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A day of action for Yahya and target BMI Airlines

19-02-2009 21:33

Today was an international day of action for Cardiff based trade unionist Yahya Al-Faifi, who is under threat of deportation to Saudi Arabia.

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Release Delshad Zorab and Grant Him Asylum Rights

19-02-2009 19:53

Doncaster resident and Kurdish communist, Delshad Zorab, has been detained at Campsfield Detention Centre. He fears deportation to Kurdistan where his life will be threatened. He's fought all his life against dictatorship, big business and bigotry. Now he needs you support.

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Protest this Thursday: Don't Deport Trade Unionists to Saudi!

17-02-2009 17:33

Yahya Al Faifi and his family, who live in Cardiff, are now threatened with deportation after their asylum application was refused. The family were forced to flee Saudi Arabia in 2004 after receiving threats for Yahya’s trade union activity. The trade union movement has called for an international day of action on Thursday 19th February.

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Assia Souhalia - Deportation Cancelled after Campaigners Intrervene

17-02-2009 13:08

This morning a group of campaigners from Brighton and London travelled to Heathrow to do what they could to prevent the deportation of the Souhalia family see -  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/02/422246.html

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Campaigners Resist Deportation of Brighton Family

17-02-2009 08:13

Press Release
17th February 2009 - For Immediate Release

Campaigners Resist Deportation of Brighton Family

For more details call Sam Hayward on 07957431276

Photos of the family and interviews are available on request

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Around the Campaigns Monday 16th February 2009

16-02-2009 09:05

Yahya al Faifi Must Stay in the UK

Lobby of the Home Secretary
Thursday 19th February 2:00pm
Home Office
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
(Tubes: St James Park, Millbank and Westminster)

Yahya al Faifi, a very brave and self-sacrificing trade unionist - and a deeply committed socialist - is facing deportation back to a tyranny in Saudi Arabia that regularly tortures and "disappears" dissidents. On 12 February, he received a rejection letter for his appeal against the refusal of his asylum claim appeal. Now, he and his family are in imminent danger of deportation from Britain.

This will be a labour and trade union movement event with banners, large numbers and as wide representation as possible.

Inquiries/further information:
Mariam Kamish
 http://www.ncadc.org.uk/Newszine103/Yahya.html

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London Mitie cleaners demo report

15-02-2009 12:21

On Thursday 12th February twenty workers demonstrated outside the Willis insurance broker’s building in the City of London in support of five union cleaners dismissed there by Mitie cleaning company.

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SAUDI TRADE UNIONIST THREATENED WITH DEPORTATION!

14-02-2009 19:36

BRITAIN HAS A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SAUDI REGIME AND BAE SYSTEMS, COULD THIS BE WHY THEY ARE DEPORTING SOMEONE WHO FACES POSSIBLE DEATH?

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Take Action - Stop the deportation of the Souhalia Family

13-02-2009 19:01

Assia and Athmane Souhalia, together with their two year old daughter Nouha, are scheduled to removed to Algeria on Tuesday 17th February on British Airways Flight BA895 from Terminal 5 Heathrow Airport @ 08.40 to Algiers see  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/02/421945.html