Hussein Kasujja's 13 year campaign for the right to stay

Full Appeal Hearing Friday 30 April 2004 at 10 am
Taylor House
88 Rosebery Avenue
London EC1R 4QU
(Nearest tube Angel)

      Ever since he arrived in the UK 13 years ago, Hussein Kasujja has been fighting for the right to stay.  Last year, his asylum claim was once again turned down and he is now appealing. His Appeal hearing will be on Friday 4 July 2003 at 10 am. Please attend, your support would be greatly welcomed.

      Mr Kasujja fled Uganda in 1990 when his political opposition to the military dictatorship was discovered, putting his life at risk. His father was arrested and killed because of his son's involvement.  The Home Office rejected a first asylum claim after bad legal representation omitted crucial evidence of the persecution he would face because of his  political opposition to the government and as a Muslim in Uganda.  From 1998, he was detained for almost 17 months at Harmondsworth and Tinsley House.

       During detention Mr Kasujja contacted Payday after being referred by women detained in Tinsley House who had been helped by Black Women's Rape Action Project at the Crossroads Women's Centre.  Through Legal Action for Women he got a new lawyer who presented a fresh asylum claim. By persistently leading his own battle, with the support of friends and campaigners, he finally won his release, in spite of four attempts to deport him.

     In detention, Mr Kasujja suffered from ulcers, depression, insomnia and constant headaches for which he continues to receive medical care. He has spoken publicly against the guards' violent treatment and handling of detainees, including women and children.

    In order to make a new life in the UK, Hussein currently attends a 3-year course in mechanical engineering at Lewisham College.  He is married to Rebecca Potter, a British citizen and is like a father tohis wife's  three children from a previous marriage: Arnold aged 7, Olivia aged 13  and Darius, aged 18 . Despite many attempts, Mr Kasujja has not been able to find out the whereabouts of his family in Uganda and his home there was destroyed; after 13 years away, he has no contacts there.

    To deport him would be a gross miscarriage of justice, punishing not only Hussein, but his family here.  It would deny his right to a family life and put him at risk of torture and inhuman and degrading treatment. Amnesty international reported in January 2002: "þthe Ugandan police are continuing to use article 269 of the constitution, which forbids any political activityþ to stop public rallies held by opposition groups". More recently, Amnesty International said it is "concerned about increasing incidents of harassment, arrest and incommunicado detention of opposition supporters. Between 7 and 12 January 2003, six other Reform Agenda [an opposition political group] supporters were arrested and detained."

    Combined with the 11 September events, he would be under suspicion because he is Muslim, if he were sent back. An absence of 13 years without a valid passport would certainly be noticed, particularly since agents of the Ugandan government in the UK are forwarding information to the government in Uganda.

To support Hussein's campaign for the right to stay, please contact:
Hussein Kassuja on 07904 286 521, fax 020 7209 4761

or write c/o Payday
Crossroads Women's Centre
230A Kentish Town Rd
London NW5 2AB

Source for this page: Crossroads Women's Centre

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