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November 5th 2010 Facing indefinite detention in DoverThe British government routinely holds asylum seekers and migrants for years in detention centres that resemble prisons. In contrast to the political and media backlash over detaining terror suspects for 42 days, indefinite immigration detention remains a hidden abuse of civil liberties. On Wednesday 17th November 2010 in Canterbury, a 'Detained Lives' campaign roadshow will highlight the plight of indefinite detainees and call for an end to indefinite detention. The Bishop of Dover the Right Reverend Trevor Willmott will introduce the meeting and share his concerns at the treatment of detainees. Dover Immigration Removal Centre holds many indefinite detainees. Dover Detainee Visitors Group and Kent Refugee Help support significant numbers of detainees who are held for months, often years, at massive cost to their mental health. London Detainee Support Group (LDSG) hosts this campaign roadshow to draw attention to the impact of detention on people held in Dover. The free event is open to the public, and will feature a showing of the animated short film about indefinite detention "1000 Voices". Bishop Trevor Willmott, who visited Dover Immigration Removal Centre earlier this year, said "We are all children of God and it is essential we treat all people with justice and dignity and that we look beyond the label of 'detainee.'" Jerome Phelps, Director of LDSG, who are leading the Detained Lives campaign said "Indefinite detainees are trapped in a bureaucratic nightmare without end, unable to be released or deported. The UK is one of a very few countries in Europe that persists in detaining people with no time limit, despite the evidence that it does not work. Indefinite detention is futile, expensive and immensely damaging, so we are campaigning to end this unacceptable practice." Detention is justified as being for the shortest possible time for the purpose of removal, but a new LDSG report "No Return No Release No Reason" has found that only one third of detainees held for over a year are deported and 57% are released. The research followed 167 detainees who had all been held for more than a year, in one case for eight years. Detaining refused asylum seekers costs the taxpayer over £68,000 per year, the detainees included in the research were held for 399 years costing £27 million. The roadshow will take place at 6.15pm, Wednesday 17th November 2010
Keynes Lecture Theatre 1, Keynes College, Kent at Canterbury University ENDS For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Jerome Phelps, 020 7226 3114 or 07906 813716, jerome@ldsg.org.uk Notes to Editors For more information on the Detained Lives roadshows and campaign please go to www.detainedlives.org or www.ldsg.org.uk Dover Detainee Visitors Group: www.ddvg.org.uk |