Asylum
My journey through the immigration system shows things must change
Forced to live life under the radar, then locked in detention before finally getting a temporary right to remain after 24 years, Nico is urging the next government to bring kindness and compassion into Britain’s asylum system.
Written by: Nico, a refugee from Zimbabwe
My life as an LGBTQ asylum seeker in the UK
Although the UK is more tolerant than the country they fled, the government's persecution of migrants and LGBTQ people, as well as the labyrinthine asylum system, continues to make torture survivor King feel unsafe.
Written by: King, a client at Freedom from Torture
I claimed asylum on religious grounds - this is not a "loophole"
Escaping religious persecution in Iran seeking refuge became an urgent necessity for survival for Ali and his family.
Written by: Ali D
The Borders Bill will replicate callous Australian policy
Broken systems — Senator Nick McKim of the Australian Greens and Benali Hamdache of the UK Green Party explain why Priti Patel’s new Immigration Bill will resemble the worst part’s of Australia policy, inflicting the same suffering, merely under a Union Jack.
Written by: Nick McKim and Benali Hamdache
Britain needs safe and legal routes to asylum now
It’s time to act — A teenage boy has died after trying to cross the Channel. If the UK’s toxic asylum policy remains, he won’t be the last.
Written by: Mary Atkinson
The zine taking you inside Greece’s refugee kingdom
This is what we have to say — Forgotten in an isolated Greek camp, young refugees have produced the Ritsona Kingdom Journal to remind the world they exist.
Written by: Alex King
Gay people are still being locked up in Britain. What use is this pardon to them?
From Where I Stand — Before you celebrate this government for pardoning dead white gay men of now legal same-sex activity, remember tonight they'll be deporting a gay Nigerian man to a country where it's illegal and dangerous to be gay. And this happens all the time.
Written by: Shon Faye
Ash Koosha: The Iranian artist building sound sculptures from magnified waveforms
Future shock — After fleeing Iran, Ash Koosha’s future-focussed productions blur the lines between music, film and virtual reality.
Written by: Alex King
Asylum seekers in Britain face a system destined to destroy their mental health
Living a life in limbo — Many of those seeking asylum in the United Kingdom are living in a state of flux; unable to legally work for a living, with dire consequences on community relations and mental health. In Oldham, near Manchester, one woman knows just how painful this can be.
Written by: David Shaw
Video: One woman's experiences as a Syrian refugee – Part Two
Revisiting Hamadi sixteen months on — In the sixteen months since Hamadi's journey from Syria to the Netherlands was chronicled by director Liz Mermin, her home country has continued to implode and European response towards its refugees has grown increasingly hostile. Meanwhile, Hamadi's personal life has undergone major changes.
Written by: Adam White
Video: One woman's experiences as a Syrian refugee – Part One
Meet Hanadi — Hanadi fled war-torn Syria with her family in 2014, finding refuge in the small town of Kessel Eik in the Netherlands. While she takes the enormous upheaval in her stride, she pines for a day when she can return to the home she once knew.
Written by: Adam White
Trafficked women connect with their sense of self through photography
Voice of Freedom — Charity PhotoVoice empowers people too often denied a voice to tell their own stories through photography. Here, photographer 'Fruit of Love' explains how the project affected her.
Written by: Alex King