“Laws exist to protect animals in the UK– why are there no rules in existence to protect the people in Pennine House at Manchester Airport?” RAPAR asks the celebrants of 75 years of Manchester Airport to help.
“The risk of anxiety, mental distress and even self-harm is heightened. People held there tell us they are worried, fearful and anxious.” AVID, the charity that visits refugees in detention.
RAPAR will be outside BRIDGEWATER HALL on Lower Mosely Street, M2 3WS between 18.30 - 19.30 on Saturday, 7th September 2013 to give out awareness raising literature. Please Join Us!
This Saturday, the Manchester based Human Rights organisation RAPAR will be asking the audience who gather at Bridgewater Hall to celebrate 75 years of Manchester Airport for help.
On 26th July 2013, Tahir Mahmood, a 43 year old man from Pakistan man, died in Pennine House at Manchester Airport . Mr Mahmood’s is the first death in a short term detention. It has highlighted the fact that, currently, the "largest private sector provider of secure immigration detainee escorting" - TASCOR – is running Pennine House without any operating standards in place because the Home Office keeps on postponing the publication of a set of rules about what the minimum provisions in short term detention should be.
Currently Manchester Airports Group plc, the organisers of this event at Bridgewater Hall, is the holding company which is, in turn, owned by the ten Metropolitan Borough Councils of Greater Manchester. In Pennine House there is no natural light or ventilation, women and men are held together in the same facility and the Detention Centre Rules (2001) – the key statutory instrument governing the use of detention in the UK – don’t cover this shorter stay centre.
RAPAR will offer the audience information and resources so that they can find out more about Pennine House, become involved themselves, and enlist the involvement of their MP’s and local Councils in changing the situation at Pennine House.
Pennine House detains up to 32 people - refugees whose claims for asylum have been failed by the Home Office - for up to seven days until they are deported or transferred to another centre.
For further information:
· Dr Rhetta Moran, RAPAR Matron on 07776264646 [email protected]
· http://www.rapar.org.uk/exposing-what-happens-in-detention.html
· http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/penninehouse/
ENDS