Exposure of abuse inside a detention centre
Feb 28 2005 18:23
"Asylum Undercover" - is an investigation that exposes violence &
abuse inside a detention centre - 60 mins documentary - BBC 1, 2nd March 9.00pm
Please watch this.
I was talking to a guy the other day who was seized when he went to sign in at the reporting centre, stuck into a van and taken into detention. This happens quite arbitarily and with no opportunity to inform your family or pick up belongings. People are sometimes detained for months, sometimes years in stressful conditions where they are treated badly. The guy i was talking to had to plead to be allowed to make a phone call for someone to go pick up his kids. whilst he was in detention another detainee tried to hang himself from the prison wall.
we can't say where or which companies are involved yet because they might try to get the programme pulled but over the past year the Campaign to Stop Arbitrary Detentions at Yarl's Wood (SADY), National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns (NCADC) and Campaign Against Racism & Fascism (CARF) have been working with an undercover reporter who got inside one of the detention centres and filmed the violence and abuse against immigration detainees by Home Office contractors during detention and the removal process.
This is the press statement:
Quote:
For the last 9 months we have provided input into theBBC's 60 minute "Asylum Undercover" documentary which
will be broadcast on BBC1 Wednesday 2nd March at 9pm
"The Real Story goes undercover to expose evidence of
racism and violence at the heart of UK's asylum
system. Over a period of three months, two BBC
journalists worked undercover in a detention centre
and for a company that escorts asylum seekers and
immigrants around the country. Their investigation
uncovers disturbing evidence of a culture of violence,
abuse and assaults against detainees. Contains very
strong language."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcone/listings/programme.shtml?day=wednesday&service_i
d=4223&filename=20050302/20050302_2100_4223_57791_60
Despite a wealth of reports from detainees,
anti-detention campaigners, government officials, and
independent monitory bodies - perpetrators of violence
and abuse against detainees have not been adequately
held to account and, indeed, the private profit making
companies involved have been rewarded with further
lucrative contracts, the details of which often remain
"commercially confidential".
No less significant than racism and physical violence
are the less visible abuses which undermine asylum
claims - unreasonable asylum determinations based on
flawed material, lack of legal representation and the
erosion of access to appeal rights.
Press Conference - Home Office, London - Thursday 3rd
March 12.00 noon
SADY, NCADC and CARF invite you to a Press Conference
outside the office of the Home Secretary
Peel Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
End of Bulletin:
Source for this Message:
SADY, NCADC and CARF
Also anyone is welcome to join us outside Dallas Court Reporting Centre on South Langworthy Rd Salford on March 8th at 12 noon in a protest against arbitary detention and deportation. Dallas Court is one of the places where asylum seekers get seized. (Sorry last bit isn't culture)