Fifteen years after the High Court condemned the prosecution of refugees for using false documents in their quest for a place of safety and parliament provided a statutory defence, they are still being wrongly convicted and sent to prison. The 1951 Refugee Convention is quite clear: penalties must not be imposed on refugees (including asylum
Theme: Violence and harassment
Repatriations and visa auctions: the two sides of the migration business
Is the UK turning into an offshore enclave for the world’s wealthiest, at the expense of the most vulnerable? As the British government funds the repatriation of poor undocumented migrants from Greece to war zones in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, it is considering auctioning to the highest bidder the right to come to
Black history, black politics on Race & Class radio
The latest broadcast of Race & Class radio is now available to download. In the latest Race & Class radio show, Chris Searle discusses revolutionary poet Peter Blackman, who, despite being at the vortex of Black cultural expression for much of the 20th century, never received his due. Chris Searle also reads Peter Blackman’s poetry
Malcolm X’s visit to Britain
A new historical book looks at Malcolm X’s 1964 visit to Britain. Malcolm X was assassinated forty-nine years ago last week. As people reflect on his life and legacy, a new book looks at the visit he made to Britain toward the end of his life. In November 1964, Malcolm X ended a tour of
Lost in privatisation: Capita, court interpreting services and fair trial rights
A translator and human rights activist analyses the ongoing issues thrown up by the privatisation of court interpreting services by the Ministry of Justice. Next year marks the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, arguably one of the most important legal documents in the world, guaranteeing the right to a fair trial. That right is
The uses of extremism
A meeting organised by the International State Crime Initiative (ISCI) and the Institute of Race Relations (IRR) looks at the current discourse on extremism and challenges and its underlying assumptions. Does the concept of extremism help us to make sense of political violence? Or does it distract us from the causes of conflict and lead
Public meeting: indefinite detention in Dorset
A public meeting about a new immigration removal centre set to open on the site of HMP The Verne. Thursday 27 February 2014, 6.45pm St. John’s Church, Greenhill, Weymouth DT4 7SS Speakers include: Ali McGinley – Association of Visitors to Immigration Detainees Andrew Wilson – Morton Hall Visitors Group Tamsin Alger – Detention Action A former detainee will
Buzz Johnson: 1951 – 2014
Buzz Johnson, people’s educator and the founder of Karia Press, died this week. Two giants of the Caribbean diaspora died this week – Stuart Hall, academic and cultural theorist; Buzz Johnson, publisher and people’s educator. They represented two ends of a black left spectrum of politics – the one an acclaimed theoretician and eminent wordsmith who
Stuart Hall: 1932 – 2014
Playwright David Edgar discusses the importance of Stuart Hall. When, in the days since his death on Monday, Stuart Hall was described as the ‘pioneer’ or – less fortunately – the ‘godfather’ of multiculturalism, it seemed like a convenient journalistic label for a man whose huge importance was hard to explain to the general public.
No one is illegal gathering
A gathering of the No One Is Illegal campaign to end immigration controls. Saturday 15 February 2014, 2pm 6 Boulter Street, Oxford OX4 1AX RELATED LINKS No One Is Illegal