Today's demo organised by the local Congolese community with support from No Borders Nottingham and the Nottingham and Notts Refugee Campaign Group attracted perhaps 50 supporters, mostly Congolese.

The protest was one of a number taking place across the country to mark a "directions hearing" for the Country Guidance tribunal on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The government have indicated that they consider the situation safe and want to return Congolese asylum seekers. Reports from the country, however, note extrajudicial executions, torture, rape, arbitrary abuses and detention. All of which, suggests an intriguing definition of "safe."

In Nottingham protesters assembled in the Market Square where they remained for around an hour, before marching off to the Magistrates Court where they maintained a noisy presence.

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Links:

Original call out
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2007/04/367206.html

Previous Notts Indymedia reports on deportation to DRC
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2007/03/366596.html

No Borders Nottingham
 http://www.nobordersnottingham.org.uk/

Nottingham and Notts Refugee Forum
 http://www.nottsrefugeeforum.org.uk/