We are shocked and saddened by the high court decision to refuse Isa Muazu's appeal to be released from an immigration detention centre (Report, 19 November). Isa is in a critical condition, having been on hunger strike in Harmondsworth detention centre for over 90 days. Despite compelling medical evidence and in the context of mounting political pressure from cross-party parliamentarians, the decision to continue Isa's detention and pursue his deportation contradicts medical advice and shows no regard for the value of his life. We would argue that this goes well beyond a"'hostile environment" and has far-reaching consequences for society as a whole.
Isa Muazu is a refused asylum seeker from Nigeria who came to this country seeking safety. Despite expert medical evidence in October that he was unfit to be detained, his detention continued, and as he edged closer to death, an "end of life plan" was prepared rather than his release. We believe he must be released to save his life. Many people who end up in detention centres feel anxious, frightened and frustrated. Like Isa, many feel that their asylum claims have not been fairly heard and that they are losing their freedom only for the "crime" of seeking safety in the UK. We are extremely concerned that Isa may die as a result of a hardened stance being taken towards migrants in the UK. We urgently call for clemency in this case. We ask that the home secretary reconsider Isa's case and act quickly to release him in the UK, so that another death in immigration detention can be avoided.
Juliet Stevenson Actress
Howard Brenton Playwright
Dame Harriet Walter Actress
Mark Thomas Comedian
Daniel Kitson Comedian and writer
Christopher Haydon Artistic director, The Gate Theatre
Madani Younis Artistic director, The Bush Theatre
Omar Elerian Associate director, The Bush Theatre
Stella Duffy Writer
Clare Duffy Playwright
Jon Spooner Artistic director, Unlimited Theatre
James Brining Artistic director, West Yorkshire Playhouse
Cush Jumbo Actor
Chris Thorpe Writer
Daniel Bye Director
Rachel Delahey Playwright
Matt Burman Warwick Arts Centre
Khalid Abdalla Actor
Tam Dean Burn Actor
Chris Thorpe Writer
Lucy Ellinson Actor
Laura Norman The New Wolsey Theatre
David Porter and Alice Porter Creative Arts Promotion Ltd
Andy Field, Artistic Director, Forest Fringe
Rikki Beadle-Blair Artistic Director, Team Angelica
Peter Tatchell Peter Tatchell Foundation
Anthony Barnett openDemocracy
Paul Dillane Amnesty International
Maurice Wren Refugee Council
Dave Garratt Refugee Action
Clare Algar Reprieve
Don Flynn Migrants' Rights Network
Jon Robins Editor, www.thejusticegap.com
Janet King Liberal Democrats for Seekers of Sanctuary
Natalie Bennett Green Party leader
Caroline Lucas MP Green, Brighton Pavilion
Ruth Hayes Islington Law Centre
Baljeet Sandhu Migrant & Refugee Children's Legal Unit
Connie Sozi Asylum Aid
John Nicholson QC Kenworthys Chambers
Michelle Knorr Doughty Street Chambers
Hilton von Herbert Hackney Community Law Centre
Christopher Dias Dias Solicitors
Matt Foot Birnberg Peirce and Partners
Eleanor Glass
Elizabeth M Millar Solicitor
Margaret Finch and Sean Mcloughlin TRP Solicitors
Liz Davies Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers
Nizi H S Khurana Karis Law
Professor Sara Chandler Law Society human rights committee
Ofonimeh Umoh Abudu Duncan Lewis solicitors
Professor Bill Bowring Birkbeck College
Stephen Grosz QC
Gary McIndoe Latitude Law
Paul Ward James and Co
John McDonnell MP
Jerome Phelps Detention Action
Eiri Ohtani Detention Forum
Nic Eadie Gatwick Detainee Welfare Group
Mark Serwotka PCS
Romayne Phoenix Co-chair, People's Assembly
Sam Fairbairn Secretary, Peoples Assembly
Natasha Walter Women for Refugee Women
Patrick Yu Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities
Julia Bard Jewish Socialists' Group
Simon Woolley Operation Black Vote
Steve Hynes Legal Action Group
Heather Jones Yarl's Wood Befrienders
Poonam Pattni Southall Black Sisters
Nazek Ramadan Migrant Voice
Zrinka Bralo Migrant and Refugee Communities Forum
Miriam Wood Samphire
Rita Chadha Newham Refugee Migrant Forum, RAMFEL
Bridget Walker Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network
Almir, Koldzic Counterpoints Arts
Gill Baden Bail Observation Project
Phill Jones Unity Centre, Glasgow
Simon Parker End Child Detention Now
Lisa Matthews Right To Remain
Kate Smart Asylum Welcome
Habib Rahman JCWI
Puck de Raadt Churches Refugee Network-CTBI
Kate Alexander Scottish Detainee Visitors
Liz Peretz Barbed Wire Britain
Bill McKeith Close Campsfield
Kate Adams Kent Refugee Help
Zita Holbourne Black Activists Rising Against Cuts
Emma Williams STAR
Vaughan Jones Praxis Community Projects
Andy Gregg Race On The Agenda
Don Thake Amnesty Wye
Ratna Lachman JUST, West Yorkshire
Debbie Jolly Disabled people Against the Cuts
Ali McGinley Association of Visitors to Immigration Detainees
Jock Morris Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees
John McFadden Fire Brigades Union
Nigel Caleb Detention Advisory service
Phil Kerton Kent Diocesan Area Justice & Peace Group
Isobel Harland Govan and Craigton Integration Network
Dave Stamp ASIRT
Robina Qureshi Positive Action in Housing
Charlie Liggett Liverpool Prisons Visiting Group
John Prangley Asylum Welcome, Oxford
Isobel Crowther Waging Peace
Patsy Brand Nottingham & Notts Refugee Forum
Bekah Sparrow SOAS Detainee Support
Benoit Martin Payday men's network
Mohammed Khaled Noor Muslim Professionals Forum
Guy Taylor Movement Against Xenophobia
Professor Geri Smyth University of Strathclyde
Peter Taylor-Gooby University of Kent
Professor Jan Montefiore Kent University
Dr Steve Kirkwood University of Edinburgh
Dr Emily Grabham University of Kent
Clare Frances Moran University of Abertay Dundee
Juliet Stevenson Actress
Howard Brenton Playwright
Dame Harriet Walter Actress
Mark Thomas Comedian
Daniel Kitson Comedian and writer
Christopher Haydon Artistic director, The Gate Theatre
Madani Younis Artistic director, The Bush Theatre
Omar Elerian Associate director, The Bush Theatre
Stella Duffy Writer
Clare Duffy Playwright
Jon Spooner Artistic director, Unlimited Theatre
James Brining Artistic director, West Yorkshire Playhouse
Cush Jumbo Actor
Chris Thorpe Writer
Daniel Bye Director
Rachel Delahey Playwright
Matt Burman Warwick Arts Centre
Khalid Abdalla Actor
Tam Dean Burn Actor
Chris Thorpe Writer
Lucy Ellinson Actor
Laura Norman The New Wolsey Theatre
David Porter and Alice Porter Creative Arts Promotion Ltd
Andy Field, Artistic Director, Forest Fringe
Rikki Beadle-Blair Artistic Director, Team Angelica
Peter Tatchell Peter Tatchell Foundation
Anthony Barnett openDemocracy
Paul Dillane Amnesty International
Maurice Wren Refugee Council
Dave Garratt Refugee Action
Clare Algar Reprieve
Don Flynn Migrants' Rights Network
Jon Robins Editor, www.thejusticegap.com
Janet King Liberal Democrats for Seekers of Sanctuary
Natalie Bennett Green Party leader
Caroline Lucas MP Green, Brighton Pavilion
Ruth Hayes Islington Law Centre
Baljeet Sandhu Migrant & Refugee Children's Legal Unit
Connie Sozi Asylum Aid
John Nicholson QC Kenworthys Chambers
Michelle Knorr Doughty Street Chambers
Hilton von Herbert Hackney Community Law Centre
Christopher Dias Dias Solicitors
Matt Foot Birnberg Peirce and Partners
Eleanor Glass
Elizabeth M Millar Solicitor
Margaret Finch and Sean Mcloughlin TRP Solicitors
Liz Davies Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers
Nizi H S Khurana Karis Law
Professor Sara Chandler Law Society human rights committee
Ofonimeh Umoh Abudu Duncan Lewis solicitors
Professor Bill Bowring Birkbeck College
Stephen Grosz QC
Gary McIndoe Latitude Law
Paul Ward James and Co
John McDonnell MP
Jerome Phelps Detention Action
Eiri Ohtani Detention Forum
Nic Eadie Gatwick Detainee Welfare Group
Mark Serwotka PCS
Romayne Phoenix Co-chair, People's Assembly
Sam Fairbairn Secretary, Peoples Assembly
Natasha Walter Women for Refugee Women
Patrick Yu Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities
Julia Bard Jewish Socialists' Group
Simon Woolley Operation Black Vote
Steve Hynes Legal Action Group
Heather Jones Yarl's Wood Befrienders
Poonam Pattni Southall Black Sisters
Nazek Ramadan Migrant Voice
Zrinka Bralo Migrant and Refugee Communities Forum
Miriam Wood Samphire
Rita Chadha Newham Refugee Migrant Forum, RAMFEL
Bridget Walker Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network
Almir, Koldzic Counterpoints Arts
Gill Baden Bail Observation Project
Phill Jones Unity Centre, Glasgow
Simon Parker End Child Detention Now
Lisa Matthews Right To Remain
Kate Smart Asylum Welcome
Habib Rahman JCWI
Puck de Raadt Churches Refugee Network-CTBI
Kate Alexander Scottish Detainee Visitors
Liz Peretz Barbed Wire Britain
Bill McKeith Close Campsfield
Kate Adams Kent Refugee Help
Zita Holbourne Black Activists Rising Against Cuts
Emma Williams STAR
Vaughan Jones Praxis Community Projects
Andy Gregg Race On The Agenda
Don Thake Amnesty Wye
Ratna Lachman JUST, West Yorkshire
Debbie Jolly Disabled people Against the Cuts
Ali McGinley Association of Visitors to Immigration Detainees
Jock Morris Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees
John McFadden Fire Brigades Union
Nigel Caleb Detention Advisory service
Phil Kerton Kent Diocesan Area Justice & Peace Group
Isobel Harland Govan and Craigton Integration Network
Dave Stamp ASIRT
Robina Qureshi Positive Action in Housing
Charlie Liggett Liverpool Prisons Visiting Group
John Prangley Asylum Welcome, Oxford
Isobel Crowther Waging Peace
Patsy Brand Nottingham & Notts Refugee Forum
Bekah Sparrow SOAS Detainee Support
Benoit Martin Payday men's network
Mohammed Khaled Noor Muslim Professionals Forum
Guy Taylor Movement Against Xenophobia
Professor Geri Smyth University of Strathclyde
Peter Taylor-Gooby University of Kent
Professor Jan Montefiore Kent University
Dr Steve Kirkwood University of Edinburgh
Dr Emily Grabham University of Kent
Clare Frances Moran University of Abertay Dundee
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