Migrants Detained for up to Five Years in 'UK Guantanamo Bay', Home Office Figures Show

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News > UK > UK Politics Migrants detained for up to five years in 'UK Guantanamo Bay', Home Office figures show

In total, 20 people have spent more than 53 years in detention

JONATHAN OWEN Monday 05 January 2015

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CHARITY APPEAL The Home Office has been accused of locking up innocent migrants for its own “administrative convenience” after new figures revealed 20 people have been held without trial for at least two years. One detainee has been in custody awaiting deportation for 1,701 days - approaching five years. Three more Tour the Somme have been held for three years. battlefields with our expert guide Prolonged incarceration poses a serious mental-health risk to Bid now in the third part detained migrants, many of whom are later allowed to stay in the of our Homeless UK. Last night migration campaigners compared the situation to Veterans charity auction Guantanamo Bay, where detention without trial has aroused NEWS international condemnation.

Jerome Phelps, the director of Detention Action, told The Independent: “The US has been widely condemned for detention without trial in Guantanamo, yet the UK stands revealed as locking up migrants for comparable periods in immigration Man of the people? Guess how much detention centres. These people are detained for deportation, but Barack Obama paid it stretches credibility to believe that it can take more than four- for a Hawaiian

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com and-a-half years to deport someone.” dinner-for-two

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Yarl’s Wood near Bedford, where many are held solely under immigration powers (Getty) Millions of users' credit card details Figures released by the Home Office yesterday following a 'exposed' by major Freedom of Information request reveal that 20 migrants have Moonpig security spent at least 722 days in detention under immigration powers. flaw

In total, 3,378 people are detained “solely under Immigration Act SPONSORED powers” - meaning they are not serving time for a criminal offence - in removal centres such as Yarl's Wood, which has faced allegations of abuse and mistreatment of inmates by staff.

The figures “exclude people detained under both criminal and Michelle Dockery: Golden Girl immigration powers”, according to the Home Office document, Best known for playing which is a snapshot of the situation in September 2014. Most of Lady Mary in ITV’s those in detention are failed asylum-seekers, while others may Downton Abbey, Essex- born actor Michelle be those whose visas may have run out, or people who lived in Dockery is a woman of Britain with indefinite leave to remain until being given a many talents. deportation order, say campaigners. PROMOTED VIDEO

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Seven-year-old has 80 teeth removed Most long-term detained migrants are often from countries with barriers to removal such as Somalia, Iran, and Eritrea - all of which are reluctant to provide travel documents to returning nationals. Some will be in detention because they are ex- offenders and considered a “flight risk”. Successful claims against the Government for unlawful detention cost the Home Office Isis did not shoot down several millions pounds a year in compensation, with more than plane says US £16m paid out in the past four years. military

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com More than 60 per cent of migrants who are detained for more than a year are ultimately released, not deported, according to Mr Phelps.

“The Home Office is simply warehousing unwanted migrants, at Oldham issued vast public expense, causing incalculable damage to their mental statement health,” he added. Recommended by Labour's shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “It is disgraceful that some people are being detained for over four years. No visa or asylum application process should take that long. People should either be granted leave to stay in the country or, if they don't have a right to be here, they should be deported. Such long detention periods benefit nobody - it is traumatic for those being detained and it is incredibly expensive.” EBOOKS

Don Flynn, the director of Migrants' Rights Network, said: “These 20 people who have spent between two and nearly five years in detention have not been convicted of any criminal offence. They have been deprived of their liberty for the administrative convenience of the Home Office.”

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Moazzam Begg was held in detention in Guantanamo Bay between 2002-5 (PA) FOOTBALL One former detainee, Abdal, from Sudan, said: “I was detained for three-anda-half years. It was worse than the physical torture I experienced in my country, because with the torture you get a break between beatings. You never know when the psychological Is this the end for pain of detention will end.” Fifa's Sepp Blatter? The 31-year-old is waiting for compensation after winning a High Vice president Prince Ali of Jordan announces Court case for unlawful detention. shock leadership challenge The Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather is chairing a cross- BUSINESS party inquiry into immigration detention which will produce its report next month. She said: “There can be no justification for locking people up for years and years for no other reason than administrative convenience. Britain is alone in the EU in not having a time limit on how long people can be held in immigration The Internet of detention.” Things could change everything, says A Home Office spokesman said: “Those with no right to be in the Samsung chief UK should return home. Detention is used as a last resort when executive an individual will not leave voluntarily or when there is a risk they will abscond. When we do detain people it is for the minimum time possible. All detention is reviewed on a regular

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com basis to ensure it only lasts as long as it continues to be FOOD + DRINK necessary.”

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