Repost: Don’t let Isa fly!

From Unity:

Isa Muazu (Home Office Reference A1464395) came to the UK in 2007 on a visitor’s visa. He was detained and put on the Fast Track process in Harmondsworth Detention Centre on July 25th 2013, when he applied for asylum.

Isa cannot return to his native Nigeria: hard-line Islamist group Boko Haram have already killed several members of his family and he fears that if he returns his life too would be in danger.

Isa has been on hunger strike in protest at his treatment whilst in detention for almost three months. He is now dangerously ill. Last week a judge refused to release him from detention because the Home Office had issued him removal directions even though Isa is too sick to move from his mattress on the floor.

The Home Office plan to forcibly remove Isa on Wednesday 27th November at 22.20 on Virgin Atlantic flight VS651.

The Home Office are refusing to release Isa because they believe he is deliberately starving himself for trivial reasons. Last week they drew up an “End-of Life” plan with Isa including helping him to write his will. The Home Office have hardened their stance towards hunger strikers in detention since releasing four men on medical grounds earlier this year.

Isa has been clear- he started his protest because the food he was being given in the detention centre exacerbated several related medical conditions he suffers from. Since then he has widened his protest to include the way he has been treated within the detention centre since beginning the strike.

Members of Unity have been supporting Isa since before he started his hunger strike. The Home Office have now issued Isa removal directions to return him to Nigeria before he dies in the detention centre.

Isa is not fit enough to survive being returned to Nigeria. He is extremely weak from not eating. He is finding it hard to see or to walk. If he is returned to Nigeria there is a strong possibility that he may die. The Home Office have acknowledged this fact by stating they will deport him with a medical team if necessary.

What you can do:

1.     Lobby Virgin Atlantic

We need to put pressure on Virgin Atlantic not to fly Isa. Please use the template letter to ask Virgin not to co-operate with the Home Office’s plans to remove Isa to his potential death in Nigeria.

Email: special_assistance@fly.virgin.com
Tel: 0844 811 0000
Facebook Page
Comment on their Blog here (requires Facebook connection to comment)

Template Letter to AIRLINE

2. Contact Theresa May, Home Secretary

Ask her to exercise her discretionary powers to stop Isa Muazu’s flight. A model letter is below. You can copy, amend or write your own version and add your address at the top – if you do please remember to include Isa Muazu’s Home Office Ref A1464395, and the Virgin Atlantic flight number VS651 from Heathrow and the flight’s date and time- Wednesday 27th November 22.20hrs.

Teresa May is already under pressure from MPs and members of the House of Lords for the new hard-line stance being taken by her department. as can be seen in these recent pieces from the Independent and Politics.co.uk.

Tel: 020 7219 5206
Fax: 020 7219 1145
By Email: mayt@parliament.uk
Or: public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Privateoffice.external@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
UKBApublicenquiries@UKBA.gsi.gov.uk
Sing the online petition at Change.org

Template Letter to Home Office Secretary

3. Contact your own MP and ask them to do something

Please contact your MP to ask them to contact Teresa May and the Home Office on behalf of Isa. Info on how to do so can be found here.

 4. Join the protest!

Come out the the UKBA Reporting Centre on Brand Street at 3pm on Wednesday the 27th of November where supporters will gather to protest against Isa’s  treatment. If you can’t be there then let folks know and share the facebook event.