Unlocking Detention shone a spotlight on the hidden world of immigration detention. This ‘virtual tour’ of the immigration detention estate used Twitter, Facebook and a website to ‘unlock’ the gates of immigration detention centres.
Each week, Unlocking Detention ‘visited’ one of the UK’s detention centres. We heard from people who had been detained there, volunteer visitors, NGOs, campaigners and the families, friends, neighbours and communities over whom detention cast its long shadows.
We started Unlocking Detention back in 2014 and it ran for 6 years. While we no longer run this campaign with its dedicated website, it has left a powerful legacy of the impact of immigration detention. We have archived the key information, and we are now proud to continue to make it accessible via our website.
The woman called 258
Abri wrote this blog, the third of a series of three, for Detention Forum member Women for Refugee Women from inside Yarl’s Wood Detention Centre in July 2014. I didn’t [...]
Our pain is Serco’s profit
Abri's second blog, written for Women for Refugee Women in July 2014, from inside Yarl's Wood detention centre. Women for Refugee Women is a member of the Detention Forum. Today I [...]
My soul cries for justice, my heart is searching for hope and my body simply wants a walk in the park
In July 2014, Women for Refugee Women shared the experiences of 'Abri' who was detained in Yarl's Wood detention centre. You can see Abri's testimony on the Women for Refugee [...]
Dover week…
The Unlocking Detention team looks back on the week they visited Dover detention centre in Kent. The Dover week was a busy week like other weeks, but this time with the [...]
Women in detention – a troubling reality
This blog post was written by Rosa Heimer, an intern at René Cassin – a charity working to promote and protect universal human rights, drawing on Jewish experience and values, [...]
Immigration detention: A most un-British phenomenon
By Lea Sitkin and Bethan Rogers. This article originally appeared in Open Democracy's Unlocking Detention series. Lea Sitkin is Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Westminster. She holds a [...]
An ever-expanding detention estate: Make your voice heard
By Melanie Griffiths, academic and campaigner. The government has recently submitted plans to the Cherwell District Council for the major expansion of Campsfield House, an Immigration Removal Centre situated just [...]
How children’s charity Barnardo’s locks up kids with Guantánamo contractor G4S
This article comes from Tom Sanderson. You can read the full article in OpenDemocracy. Britain’s leading children’s charity helps the world’s biggest security company lock up children who have committed [...]
Why not everyone can speak out
While the Detention Forum was encouraging groups and individuals to take part in the detention inquiry by submitting evidence, we were contacted by individuals and groups who said they wanted [...]
Psychological weapons used against detainees
This blog post was written by Abdelhay Tali, who has experienced immigration detention, and originally appeared on his blog. This is a thorny issue, through time and the acquisition of experiences; [...]
Harmondsworth week…
26 Oct to 1 Nov - the Unlocking Detention team looks back on the week they visited Harmondsworth detention centre, right beside Heathrow Airport. Our Harmondworth week started with ominous news, [...]
Morton Hall week…
19 to 25 Oct - the Unlocking Detention team looks back on the week they visited Morton Hall detention centre, in deep Lincolnshire. https://twitter.com/DetentionForum/status/524561287024771072 Until recently, Morton Hall detention centre was the [...]