Bad News - Charles was
removed from the UK on Wednesday 3rd August 2005 after nearly
two years of resistence.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Charles
Beaudelaire Pouaha - Still here, Still Fighting
aaDear friend,
aaaaaaaaaaCharles'
appeal on Thursday 9 September was refused. Unfortunately,
and very frustratingly for Charles, the court turned down
his application for extra time (necessary because Charles
hadn't been able to get his application for appeal in within
seven days of the judgment) and refused to hear his case at
all.
aa The judges agreed with the
Home Office's arguments that Charles doesn't have a case (without
giving him the opportunity to make it in court) and that he
is just trying to waste court time in order to prevent deportation.
Nothing could be further from the truth, but the authorities
and also the courts refuse to recognise this.
aa At the moment there for Charles
has no further legal possibilities to further his case in
the UK. We are looking for other ways to fight the case, and
will let you know as soon as possible.
aa In the meantime, Charles said
to let you all know that despite the refusal yesterday he
is making sure to keep his morale and spirit up, and that
he is determined not to let the authorities here defeat him.
aa Charles has been moved again,
to a new detention centre near Heathrow. If you can contact
him there the details are:
Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre
Colnbrook Bypass
Harmondsworth
West Drayton UB7 0FX
phone 8607 5200, ext 680 (often the phone gets answered by
another detainee, but Charles is already quite well known
there and they will usually manage to find him and bring him
to the phone)
fax 8759 7996
aa Yours in solidarity,
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaNaomi
"Naomi Byron" <naomibyron@hotmail.com>
(Posted Saturday 11th September 2004)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Update, Wednesday
1st September - Charles has been moved to
Dover Immigration Removal Centre. He had no warning, and the
only reason immigration gave was that he'd been in Tinsley
House too long -- we can all agree on that, then!
Charles has a hearing on Thursday 9 September,
where he will get the opportunity to argue again for permission
to proceed to judicial review. This will be an extremely important
hearing for him, as if he is refused the Home Office will
certainly attempt to go for a new deportation order.
At Dover Charles has less freedom -- all
the detainees are locked in their rooms between 7.30 and 8.30
at night, and can only get phone calls between 8 a.m.-8:15
p.m.
However, Charles is in good spirits despite
this enforced move and continuing to prepare for his court
hearing on 9 September. He has been helped by the fact that
many people in the centre in Dover already knew of him.
Charles has now been in detention in the
UK for over a year. As a result his health has suffered, both
physically and psychologically. Imprisonment, and the obstacles
to communication with the outside world it entails, has also
made it much more difficult for Charles to fight his legal
case. But, with your help, we hope to still find some success
which can allow Charles to win the right to stay in the UK.
If you can call Charles in Dover, the number is 01304 246400;
ask for Charles Pouaha, and quote pager number 316.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Stop
the deportation of Charles Beaudelaire Pouaha (posted
01/01/04)
A third attempt to remove Charles from the UK will take place
this Saturday 3rd January 2004.
Two previous attempts to remove Charles failed when the pilots
of the planes seeing the very distressed state that Charles
was in refused to carry him.
Charles a national of Cameroon is currently detained in Tynsley
House Removal/Detention Centre, where he has been for the
last four months. (give him a ring on 01293 434800 and
let him know he has support).
Reckless Endangerment: On Monday 29th December
at the request of the Home Office Charles was interviewed
by officials from the Cameroonian Embassy. Ostensibly to check
that Charles was really a national of Cameroon. Why was this
necessary when the Home Office have never been in doubt about
his nationality and already have the appropriate travel documents.
This interview has terrified Charles, as he now knows he has
been positively identified as an opponent of the Cameroonian
government and that state officials are aware that he is being
forcibly returned to Cameroon, puts him at further risk of
persecution by the authorities. (Details
of interview).
Charles is terrified of being returned to his home country
because he fears for his life under the dictatorial regime
of Paul Biya. He has good grounds for these fears.
The Home Office have already tried to remove Charles back
to Cameroon twice. Both times the removal directions had to
be cancelled, when the pilots of both planes saw the very
distressed state that Charles was in, and refused to carry
him.
Before he left Cameroon he was imprisoned and tortured by
the Cameroonian authorities for his political activities as
part of the Committee pour le Soutien de la Liberte, which
is affiliated to the Social-Democratic Front (the main opposition
group in Cameroon).
The Home Office have turned his application down on the grounds
that he has not provided sufficient proof of the persecution
he suffered, or that any of this persecution was directed
towards him personally. Yet when he tried to lodge a fresh
claim, with new evidence that supported his case further,
the Home Office said that they would not accept this evidence
as it could be forged.
How can Charles obtain protection when you turn him down for
not having enough evidence and then refuse to accept it when
he produces more?
Charles' first application for asylum in the UK was turned
down through no fault of his own, because of bad legal representation
from his first solicitor, who then stopped representing him
when the final adjudicator's decision went against Charles,
even though there were a number of mistakes in it. In desperation,
Charles wrote and appealed against the decision himself, but
because he has no training in British immigration law there
were points that could have helped his case which he was unable
to include.
However, despite the fact that at this point Charles was without
legal representation, this appeal he made was his one last
chance to have the decision in his case re-considered. As
it was he lost any possibility of a judicial review of the
adjudicator's final decision.
Charles will be at serious risk of imprisonment, torture and
death if he is returned to Cameroon. In the run-up to elections,
which are expected to take place next year, the dictatorship
of Paul Biya is stepping up its persecution and repression
of people involved in opposition organisations and movements.
Charles has a good case for asylum in the UK; he also has
a good case to be allowed to remain in the UK on grounds of
human rights (in particular, the right not to be returned
to a country where he is likely to be subjected to cruel and
inhuman treatment or punishment).
A few years ago, all Cameroonian asylum applications to the
UK were being turned down. Now, however, the Home Office has
begun to recognise that SDF members are persecuted by the
Cameroonian authorities and is giving asylum or the right
to stay in the UK on human rights grounds to a substantial
number of Cameroonian asylum-seekers who are SDF members.
The detention he has suffered for the last four months in
the UK has been extremely harmful to Charles both physically
and psychologically, as it brings back the experiences of
detention and torture he suffered in Cameroon very forcefully.
In a report dated 3/12/03 Theresa McIntyre, a Psychotherapist
based at Horsham Hospital, says that Charles satisfies the
criteria for a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
and Depression, and recommends that he be released from detention
and given ongoing therapeutic support. Charles was referred
to the psychotherapist by the medical centre at Tinsley House
where he is detained.
What you can do to help:
Fax/write to the Home Secretary requesting that Charles Beaudelaire
Pouaha is allowed to stay. You can use the model
letter attached copy/amend/write your own version, feel
free to add your own comments especially if you know Charles
personally. (Give Charles a ring 01293 434800)
You can fax David Blunkett on 020 7273 3965 from outside the
UK + 44 20 7273 3965
Or write direct:
David Blunkett
Home Secretary
Home Office
50 Queen Anne's Gate
London SW1H 9AT
Enquiries/further information:
naomibyron@hotmail.com
Please notify the campaign by email of any faxs/letters sent:
Charles Beaudelaire Pouaha Must Stay
Cameroon Asylum Seekers Defence Campaign
10, Saint Mary’s Approach
Church Road
Manor Park
London
E12 6HG
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