Like a chicken surrounded by dogs
By Kate Alexander, coordinator of Scottish Detainee Visitors (a member of the Detention Forum). This article originally appeared in Open Democracy's Unlocked series. Scotland may have a different relationship with immigration from the rest of the UK, but at least for now, Dungavel, which has been detaining men and women [...]
Colnbrook, in conversation
Joe is an asylum-seeker from East Africa. He has been in Colnbrook IRC for four months. In this interview for the 'Unlocking Detention' twitter-tour, he talks to Detention Action's Ben du Preez about life inside Colnbrook, the emotional impact of indefinite detention, and why reforming the UK's detention estate is more [...]
Life after detention
This piece by Saskia Garner was first published by openDemocracy on 1st December 2014. Saskia works at Refugee Action as Policy Manager. The adverse effects of being detained in an immigration removal centre harm possibilities for reintegration in the country of origin. Being detained can be a traumatic experience for [...]
No end to the horrors of detention
This piece by Ben du Preez was first published by openDemocracy on 1st December 2014. Ben works at Detention Action and is a member of the Detention Forum Communications Working Group. The invisibility of immigration detention centres and the trauma of detention has meant that the heavy psychological baggage many [...]
Working with women in Colnbrook
Detention Action’s Shashika Heiyantuduwa describes their work with women in Colnbrook detention centre. This piece was originally published on the Detention Action website on 12 August 2012. Detention Action is a member of the Detention Forum. [In 2012] we held the first workshop at the Rose unit for women in [...]
The real cost of detaining migrants
This piece by Nic Eadie was first published by openDemocracy on 24 November 2014. Nic is Director of Gatwick Detainee Welfare Group. Several years after being rushed out of Tinsley House immigration removal centre near London Gatwick airport, one man still lies hospitalised, unable to move, reliant on the staff [...]
“Am I a HUMAN BEING? I ran from my country to save my life”
By Lisa Matthews of Right to Remain. Right to Remain is a member organisation of the Detention Forum. Marie Therese, a survivor of ritualised torture in Cameroon, campaigned for justice in her asylum case with the help of Right to Remain's supporters. Marie Therese wrote, movingly and powerfully, about the shocking [...]
Extraordinary things: Visiting the women at Yarl’s Wood detention centre
This piece was first published by openDemocracy on 18 November 2014. Heather Jones is the Co-ordinator of Yarls Wood Befriends. Eiri Ohtani is the Co-ordinator of the Detention Forum. Next door to a Formula 1 car testing zone, hundreds of migrant women are kept behind bars. Heather Jones is a long-term visitor. [...]