Welcome to our first weekly roundup for #Unlocked18. Each week of the tour, we’ll be recapping what’s been shared the previous week so you can look back to find your favourite content or see what you’ve missed.
Preparation began for this year’s Unlocking Detention tour, now in its 5th year, began well before last week’s launch.
A brilliant afternoon prepping for the #Time4aTimeLimit campaign and #Unlocked18 with the indomitable #FreedVoices, experts by experience who have lost over 20 years of their lives to immigration #detention. pic.twitter.com/yvSlnaFCbT
— TheDetentionForum (@DetentionForum) September 12, 2018
An invigorating afternoon reviewing #Unlocked17 and brainstorming #Unlocked18 with #FreedVoices @AVIDdetention @JRSUK @SDVisitors @Right_to_Remain @DetentionAction @Rene_Cassin @alice_miranda1 pic.twitter.com/7t8Tqjz9Dv
— TheDetentionForum (@DetentionForum) June 27, 2018
Great afternoon with @DetentionForum. Thinking through how best to communicate around issues of #detention. Looking forward to their #Unlocked18 campaign – a digital tour of all the detention centres in the UK. Starts a few weeks. Don't miss it.
— IMIX ? (@IMIX_UK) October 8, 2018
https://twitter.com/EiriOhtani/status/1051791748836614144
The first week of #Unlocked18 officially began on 22 October. The tour runs until International Migrants Day on 18 December, visiting a different detention centre each week and featuring content from people currently in detention, people who have previously been detained, local and national organisations, volunteer visitors, faith groups and more. You can find the tour schedule here.
Welcome to #Unlocked18, our 5th year of 'Unlocking Detention' and shining a spotlight on the UK's #detention estate pic.twitter.com/UbLBpYVPUq
— TheDetentionForum (@DetentionForum) October 22, 2018
Every week we'll 'visit' a different site of #detention https://t.co/Sll2Vv5amK . These are places the Government would prefer remained 'out of sight, out of mind' #Unlocked18. pic.twitter.com/vMjzTKrTRN
— TheDetentionForum (@DetentionForum) October 22, 2018
In the last year, over 26,000 people were detained in the UK under immigration powers. There is no time limit – they had no idea when they would be released. Follow @DetentionForum #Unlocked18 to learn more about immigration #detention in the UK. #Time4aTimeLimit pic.twitter.com/CJxzx3tt5K
— René Cassin? (@Rene_Cassin) October 22, 2018
Follow @DetentionForum's #Unlocked18 virtual tour of detention for the next two months to find out what detention is really like, from experts-by-experience#TheseWallsMustFall https://t.co/TMCx8IzLPE
— These Walls Must Fall (@wallsmustfall) October 22, 2018
Be sure to follow #Unlocked18 @DetentionForum over the next couple of months, a virtual tour of the deliberately and shamefully concealed immigration detention estate ? https://t.co/LdNVR3I6qD
— Simon Hilditch (@SimonHilditch) October 22, 2018
Does it feel a bit rich to hear BBC news reports about detention centres in China? We must put our own house in order. Follow #unlocked18 to learn more about the UK's shameful record on immigration detention and what action you can take. #time4atimelimit https://t.co/CU0fX1s323
— Catherine Hurley ? (@hurleycat38) October 24, 2018
Unlocking Detention is a virtual tour of the UK’s immigration #detention estate, running from 22 October – 18 December. #Unlocked18 https://t.co/qPxrfFJJ3Z pic.twitter.com/BjgI8OChZE
— Free Movement (@freemovementlaw) October 29, 2018
RT @AVIDdetention: In the last year, over 26,000 people were detained in the UK under immigration powers. There is no time limit – they had no idea when they would be released. Follow @DetentionForum #Unlocked18 to learn more about immigration #detention in the UK.
— Asylum Aid (@AsylumAid) October 28, 2018
Until 18 Dec, the @DetentionForum's #unlocked18 is shining a spotlight on the hidden world of the #UK's detention estate & presenting the voices of those who are detained, volunteer visitors, NGOs, campaigners, families & others affected. Follow the hashtag to find out more. pic.twitter.com/NsxPIheOIp
— Global Detention Project (@migradetention) October 29, 2018
Welcome to #Unlocked18
Detention Forum Project Director Eiri Ohtani welcomed followers old and new to the 5th year of Unlocking Detention, taking the chance to look back over what’s been achieved during those 5 years, and what is still to come.
This year, Unlocking Detention turns 5. @DetentionForum project director @EiriOhtani looks at what’s been achieved and what’s still to come: https://t.co/9pHA17xt0U Follow #Unlocked18 to join the tour.
— AVID (@AVIDdetention) October 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/EiriOhtani/status/1055468244079796226
This week saw the start of #Unlocked18 – the annual tour of the UK #detention estate, now in its 5th year. @EiriOhtani from @DetentionForum gives an overview of how the project has evolved since that first year: https://t.co/Asg73QlK2J #Time4aTimeLimit #HostileEnvironment pic.twitter.com/aEOJOBBJIR
— ScotDetaineeVisitors (@SDVisitors) October 27, 2018
Red’s poem: When I become untamed
Red, a member of the Freed Voices, recorded ‘When I become untamed’, a poem he wrote while detained in Colnbrook detention centre, near Heathrow, for 10 months. Red’s poem is accompanied by a haunting illustration by Detention Forum volunteer Shadia.
(The Freed Voices are a group of experts-by-experience campaigning for immigration detention reform. For those of you wanting more information about ‘experts-by-experience’ and other technical terms, we’ve published a glossary of detention-related jargon – or read on below!)
Listen to 'When I become untamed', written and recorded by Red of #FreedVoices @DetentionAction while he was detained in #Colnbrook #detention centre, 'a black hole in deep space'. @DetentionForum #Unlocked18https://t.co/kppZz9NiGt
— DuncanLewisPublicLaw (@DLPublicLaw) October 23, 2018
#FreedVoices member 'Red' was held in Colnbrook IRC for 10 months and found solace in writing poetry. Here, he reads his poem 'When I become untamed' for #Unlocked18https://t.co/IpnepxUI3Y
— Detention Action (@DetentionAction) October 23, 2018
Honoured to have illustrated the moving and haunting poem by Red who bravely shares his experience as part of @DetentionForum #Unlocked18 Campaign
Get involved – you can make a difference:https://t.co/0fzvIHCxNi @theaoi @HOIeducation @illustrationHQ #illustration @guardianart
— Carcazan (@Carcazan) October 23, 2018
https://twitter.com/EiriOhtani/status/1055453379076505605
Mishka’s drawings: depicting wisdom
Mishka, also a member of the Freed Voices, contributed a series of drawings based on his time in Harmondsworth detention centre. The drawings evoke the often unthinking cruelty inherent in the immigration detention system. They reflect Mishka’s use of black humour in not only surviving but also finding wisdom in his experience of being detained.
https://twitter.com/EiriOhtani/status/1055460447154003969
"All these artworks are directly linked to my past difficult and painful experiences that I had endured."@Mishka_anonym from #FreedVoices for #Unlocked18https://t.co/qy8VLqCLHt pic.twitter.com/b6zVVIx94X
— Detention Action (@DetentionAction) October 25, 2018
[CW: self-harm, suicide]. @Mishka_anonym from the Freed Voices collective, shares artwork and reflections from time spent in #detention as part of #Unlocked18 – it's vital that experts-by-experience shape how we understand UK detention policy & practice! https://t.co/pgnXJyJJin pic.twitter.com/WXfLt0ITmo
— ScotDetaineeVisitors (@SDVisitors) October 27, 2018
Immigration detention glossary
As part of this year’s Unlocking Detention tour, we’ve published a glossary of detention-related terms that you may or not have come across before, starting with ‘indefinite detention’ and ending with ‘judicial oversight’. Please feel free to share these images yourself, and let us know if there’s others you think we should add.
Confused by the term 'expert-by-experience'? Want to know what the 'Shaw Review' is? We have made a visual glossary of keywords for #Unlocked18 to help navigate the world of immigration detention, take a look: https://t.co/eskh1bk8kk pic.twitter.com/uxtDTDSIDm
— TheDetentionForum (@DetentionForum) October 23, 2018
Such a helpful visual glossary of terms to start #Unlocked18 – a virtual tour of the UK’s #detention estate. Follow @DetentionForum to unlock the shadowy world of immigration #detention & if you don't know what something means, check out the glossary! https://t.co/tEJcTmwvSQ
— IMIX ? (@IMIX_UK) October 23, 2018
Unsure what indefinite #detention really means? Want to learn more about community-based alternatives to #detention?
Then check out the @DetentionForum glossary as we make our way through #Unlocked18https://t.co/NIG4ViIQAL— Jesuit Refugee Service UK (@JRSUK) October 26, 2018
Throughout #Unlocked18,we'll hear from experts-by-experience of immigration #detention.Their voices are fundamental to shed light on the hidden reality of the system. pic.twitter.com/2EDaRS2VNS
— TheDetentionForum (@DetentionForum) October 27, 2018
Immigration detention timeline: from 2014 to today
As this is the 5thyear of Unlocking Detention, we are taking the opportunity to look at key events in the the story of immigration detention reform since it began in 2014. We’ll be releasing a series of interviews with people involved in detention reform over the years and will update the timeline as we go.
This timeline tells the story of immigration detention reform during the time it has been running. We will be releasing one year of the timeline at a time as we progress through #Unlocked18, starting with 2014. You can visit it here: https://t.co/x9K79hSQpa pic.twitter.com/4ab8O4Wu55
— TheDetentionForum (@DetentionForum) October 23, 2018
Get involved
In addition to following @Detention Forum and #Unlocked18 on Twitter and Facebook, there are other ways you can get involved with Unlocking Detention. You can spread the word online and in person, tweet us a ‘selfie’ with one of our message cards, attend an event near you, or volunteer with a local visitors group. You can find more suggestions about how to get involved and take action on our website.
Here's how to get involved in #Unlocked18 as it kicks off this week – social media, selfies, reading, outreach & donations, it's all here: https://t.co/xsxytqmUgU #Time4aTimeLimit
— ScotDetaineeVisitors (@SDVisitors) October 24, 2018
Great to see many parliamentarians joining people and communities affected by immigration #detention to demand a change, particularly during #unlocked18! Here's how you can also join the movement https://t.co/wLgzVrkLLT (And thank you @Afzal4Gorton for your continuing support) https://t.co/XJ5c8UQS07
— TheDetentionForum (@DetentionForum) October 25, 2018
Want to know more about the shadowy world of immigration #detention? Follow @DetentionForum and #Unlocked18 to join this year’s Unlocking Detention tour, and show your support by tweeting a selfie with one of our messages: https://t.co/Han5xEFPKN
— AVID (@AVIDdetention) October 27, 2018
Calling all artists with experience of immigration #detention! Do you want to share any pieces that you created about your experience or reflections about immigration detention during #Unlocked18? If so, do get in touch with us. Thank you! https://t.co/JK3Didu7tX
— TheDetentionForum (@DetentionForum) October 25, 2018
If you aren't local to Sheffield but want to take action to end indefinite #detention or support people held in detention centres across the UK visit https://t.co/wLgzVrkLLT to find out how you can help #Unlocked18 https://t.co/WZvoqm01aZ
— TheDetentionForum (@DetentionForum) October 24, 2018