Thirty asylum seekers in UK detention have gone on hunger strike in protest against their imminent removal to France under the Home Office's 'one in, one out' scheme. Many are scheduled to be forcibly returned on Thursday.
The scheme aims to deter Channel crossings by removing asylum seekers to France in exchange for a smaller number brought legally to the UK. Over 100 people have been removed under this policy, with some returning to the UK via small boats.
One hunger striker said: 'I am exhausted by this situation and find it deeply unfair and unjust. I arrived on a boat with 83 other people, and only 12 of us were moved to a detention centre. The rest are being processed normally and are now in hotels.'
Another detainee stated: 'Life has completely stopped for me since I was detained. It feels like living in limbo, with the constant fear of being sent back to places that are unsafe for me.'
Charlotte Buckley, director of Bail for Immigration Detainees, said: 'We join those on hunger strike in calling for their right to claim asylum in the UK, which is protected under the 1951 Refugee Convention. Claiming asylum is not illegal, yet people are being deprived of their liberty.'
A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We are ramping up returns activity and removing those with no right to be here, with nearly 50,000 people already removed this year. We are committed to ensuring that detention and removal are carried out with dignity and respect.'
