Asylum Seekers on Hunger Strike at Haslar Removal Centre

Detainees at Haslar Removal Centre, have begun a hunger strike, after another detainee attempted self harm today Friday 7th February. They are demanding an immediate meeting with management to discuss a number of grievances, not least that they have been locked in their rooms for the last three days.

As seems the norm when something like this happens, all the direct phone lines to the detainees at Haslar, have stopped working, or the main switchboard is permanently engaged.

We hope that there is no repeat of the incident in September 2001, detainees had been on hunger strike for several days, when the Governor of Haslar called in the MUFTI squads, ("Mufti - Minimum Use of Force Tactical Intervention. Prison officers dressed in full riot gear, trained to deal with riot situations."). Detainees were forcibly returned to their dormitories. 28 of the detainees with out being charged were moved to criminal prisons.

Background see: http://www.ncadc.org.uk/letters/news24/mufti2.html

This latest attempt at self harm comes only seven days after the tragic death of Mikhail Bodnarchuk, at Haslar removal Centre
http://www.ncadc.org.uk/letters/newszine31/mikhail2.html