PRESS RELEASE // For immediate release // Thursday, January 8th 2015
DEATH IN DETENTION – TAHIR MEHMOOD'S WIFE REFUSED PERMISSION TO ENTER UK
Immigration judge turns down application for 3 week visa to allow her to attend her husband's inquest
“A very disappointing decision” - Gary McIndoe, solicitor for Misbah Tahir
Misbah Tahir, the wife of Tahir Mehmood who died in detention at Pennine House, Manchester Airport in July 2013, was refused permission to enter the UK to attend her husband's inquest.
Gary McIndoe, the solicitor who handled Misbah's appeal against the Home Office decision, said the Immigration Tribunal had rejected the argument that Mr Mehmood's wife's presence at the inquest was essential in order to ensure transparency of proceedings.
In his submission to the Tribunal on December 16th, Mr McIndoe said Misbah's appeal should be allowed on human rights grounds. Citing the case of R (Middleton) v West Somerset Coroner (2004), Mr McIndoe pointed out that, in that case, the court had said about family members:“They, like the deceased, may be victims. They have been held to have legitimate interests in the conduct of the investigation (Jordan, paragraph 109) which is why they must be accorded an appropriate level of participation.”
Mr McIndoe, who had argued that it was in the interests of democracy for Misbah Tahir to attend the inquest, said this week: “Arguments were also advanced on Misbah's behalf under Article 8, in relation to her private and family life, but these too were rejected in a very disappointing decision which - in view of the imminent start of the inquest - it will not be possible to challenge further."
The judge ruled that Mr Mehmood's wife's presence at the inquest was not necessary and said it would not undermine the Coroner's investigation because Misbah Tahir had “no evidential part to play in it”.
The inquest into the death of Mr Mehmood began in the Council Chamber at Manchester Town Hall yesterday (Wednesday) and is expected to last for at least a week.
Mr Mehmood, who had been in the UK since 2007, was taken to Pennine House, a short term holding centre at Manchester Airport run by Tascor, after his work visa expired. He was preparing to return home to Pakistan when he died on July 26th 2013.
On the first day of the inquest, Manchester Coroner Nigel Meadows was told Mr Mehmood had complained of being ill to his brother-in-law Nadeem Iqbal Gondal. Mr Gondal said, on the day of his death, Mr Mehmood phoned him to ask him to describe his symptoms to a nurse at Pennine House.
After the nurse spoke to Mr Gondal, Mr Mehmood was given medication and taken back to his room.
Steven O'Reilly, a paramedic with the North West Ambulance Service, told the Coroner that, when he and colleagues went into Mr Mehmood's room, he was lying on his bed. No-one was doing CPR and the paramedics moved Mr Mehmood off the bed and onto the floor and started resuscitation straight away. He explained that a hard surface was needed in order to carry out resuscitation.
Mr Mehmood was also given six defibrillator shocks over an hour but this was unsuccessful.
ENDS
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