After the 7/7 bombings in 2005, Detainee Z was arrested alongside many other foreign nationals under immigration laws. It was asserted that he was a “threat to national security” and he could therefore not remain in the country anymore, even though no evidence was shown to him or his legal representative to support this claim and no allegation were actually laid against him. Since then, Detainee Z has been fighting an extradition order to deport him to Algeria where he would be at risk of torture.
For two years and a half, he was incarcerated in Long Lartin prison. He was placed in a claustrophobic small unit with a small number of people that was built for segregation. This regime affected his mental and physical health and noted his difficulty to read as well as eyesight loss due to the poor lighting.
After a long and complicated legal battle, detainee Z was released on bail. Nevertheless, he was placed under strict immigration bail conditions which denied him the ability to travel one mile beyond his home and also limited his movement outside of his house to five hours in the day. Living with his wife and two children, they also became effectively subject to his immigration bail order and were very much limited by the conditions placed on him. His children were prohibited from owning audio players, computers, and his family cannot receive any guests without being vetted by security. The only exception to this, of course, was the police and security services that could come and search the property at any time of the day or night, turning it upside down.
On 22 June 2011, Detainee Z was rearrested on the accusation of tampering with his electronic tag and thus breaching the conditions of his bail order and was taken the High Security Prison, HMP Belmarsh, where he was held as a Category A prisoner.
It has now been eight months since he was re-incarcerated and he has not seen his family since then. At his request, he was transferred to Long Lartin prison to allow him to be closer to his wife and children but due to the time it has taken for his wife to be re-vetted he still awaits a family visit.
Please write to Detainee Z to show him your support:
Detainee Z
A4534CE
HMP Long Lartin
South Littleton
Evesham
Worcs
WR11 8TZ
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