On 3 July 2008, during a police search of a car in High Wycombe, 39-year-old Habib Ullah, became ill, was taken to hospital and pronounced dead. His family are concerned that the police version of what happened may not be accurate. They also are angry that they were not informed about the death till the
Geography: Midlands
Amdani Juma – deportation delayed
A Nottingham HIV/AIDS prevention worker whose anti-deportation campaign was featured in IRR News in November 2007 has had a last-minute reprieve. In a statement issued this week, Amdani Juma’s solicitor said that his removal had been postponed to give both sides time for further consideration. Hani Zebeidi said he hoped reason would prevail in the
Demonstration with Zimbabweans in Nottingham
No Borders Nottingham and the Zimbabwean community will be demonstrating in favour of asylum rights and against the Mugabe regime on the day of the Zimbabwean election. Saturday 29 March 2008 Assemble at 2pm at Market Square, Nottingham Related links No Borders – Nottingham
Birmingham parents challenge educational underachievement
More than 70 concerned parents, teachers, governors, councillors and local people came together in Digbeth, Birmingham, last week to discuss how to get local schools to do better for their underachieving pupils. The meeting was co-ordinated by mother-of-two Naseem Akhtar, who wanted to see how much community interest there was in an issue she has
Remembering Babak Ahadi
Last week, the Iranian Refugee Association in Birmingham held a picket in memory of Babak Ahadi, who took his life in July 2005 after his asylum claim was dismissed by the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal (IAT) in Sheldon, Birmingham. Babak, 33, died in Frenchay hospital the day after he set himself alight at his NASS
Roll call of deaths of asylum seekers and undocumented migrants, 1989-2010
IRR has, since 1989, been recording the deaths of asylum seekers and undocumented migrants – two of the most vulnerable sections of our society – as a result of attempting to enter the UK, self-harm, denial of medical treatment, destitution, hazardous working conditions or racist attacks. Forced by circumstances beyond their control to seek a
Birthday wish for freedom
Coventry Refugee Centre is fighting to keep a Congolese asylum seeker in the UK, claiming that she could face danger and sexual violence if deported. Birthdays have traditionally been seen as an annual celebration, offering us release from the monotony of the everyday and providing us with an opportunity to laugh and enjoy ourselves with
Sahara: last journey of the damned
The EU is advocating the creation of refugee regional processing centres in North African countries. Foremost amongst countries being recruited to enforce European border controls is Libya. A report that first appeared in the Italian newspaper L’Espresso on 24 March 2005 looks at how Libya treats refugees and documents the grim fate awaiting those returned
Fire cover cuts could affect Black communities
Local firefighters and the Fire Brigades Union are concerned that the West Midlands Fire Service’s plans to reduce fire cover could endanger the lives of vulnerable communities, especially Black and Minority Ethnic families and businesses, in some of the most deprived areas of the region. Andy Dennis, chair of West Midlands Fire Brigades Union, told
Sent to Coventry
There are hundreds of destitute asylum seekers in Coventry and possibly thousands nationwide who are without support, accommodation or the right to work, according to a recent report published by the Coventry Refugee Centre (CRC). ‘Destitution and asylum seekers: a human rights issue’ aims to draw attention to the increasingly desperate situation of many failed