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Update on Iranian asylum seeker arrested at Lunar House yesterday

The man arrested yesterday at Lunar House near a No Borders demonstration was detained at Croydon police station overnight and went before the Magistrates Court this morning. Legal support at the No Borders Camp arranged for a lawyer to represent him, and prisoner support sent 2 rep's to attend the court hearing. Unfortunately the man, who is clearly in a distressed state, was remanded until a court hearing next week.

A man was arrested yesterday at Lunar House near a No Borders demonstration. The man was a passerby who became agitated on seeing Home Office officials and kicked some walls (causing no damage). He was arrested at c. 11 am and taken to Croydon police station.

20-30 members of the No Borders demonstration walked to the police station to ascertain what was happening to him. Two people were arrested for failing to follow police instructions to move into a holding area for the assembling group. One of those arrested, Joe Hill, stated "I was in a cell adjacent to the asylum seeker, and for several hours could hear him screaming and banging the door, it was very distressing." The man was held overnight and taken to Croydon Magistrates' Court on Saturday morning. Legal support at the camp arranged for a lawyer to represent him and 2 people from prisoner support also attended court. Unfortunately the man was in too much of a distressed state to give proper instructions, and without the necessary information the magistrates decided "with regret" to remand him in custody until a court hearing next week.

The good news is that the Prosecution have dropped his charge from assault PC to s. 5 Public Order Act (a non-imprisonable offence).

Prisoner Support, No Borders Camp

Additions

update, court, support

26.09.2007 13:36

The man has a bail hearing tomo am in Croydon and is being held in remand in a Croydon prison until then at least. No borders prisoner support are visiting him today and have arranged a further visit for next week. People are also trying to arrange an emergency medical / psychiatric assessment for him, as well as legal representation for his hearing on Thurs.

update 28 Sep 2007

28.09.2007 15:36

The distressed asylum seeker who was arrested as protesters gathered outside the Border and Immigration Agency headquarters last Friday, remains on remand at Croydon’s HMP Highdown.

He unfortunately did not make bail at his hearing on Thurs 27 Sep, mainly because he is NFA and has nowhere to be bailed to. They have again upped his charges to assault of a police officer and Public Order Act, s 5.

What you can do:

Provide a bail address (contact email below for further details of what is needed)
Show support by attending the court hearing – Tues 2nd Oct, Croydon Magistrates Court, 9.30am
Write to him / send gifts / visit him at Highdown or on his release (contact email below)
Pass on your contact details if you witnessed his arrest at Lunar House (contact email below)

Legal & prisoner support at the camp have arranged lawyers to represent the man, have attended both his court hearings so far, visited and maintained contact with him at HMP Highdown. We are in the process of arranging a medical assessment by doctors used to working with and seeking justice for migrants.

For further information, please contact:
The Gatwick Area No Border Camp legal & prisoner support
E-mail: