‘Tuesday Night Project’ Barbecue followed by No Borders meeting: Tuesday 21st July from 6pm at Nottingham and Notts Refugee Forum (Square Centre).
Amdani Juma support rally in the Market Square on Friday 24th July at 5.15pm. Click on Read More for the latest Press Release with background to Amdani’s campaign to stay in Nottingham.
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PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum. Friends of Amdani Juma
Contacts:
Rob Peutrell – 07846765761
Cathy Meadows 07913476905
Monday 20 July 2009
Nottingham City Award Winner, Amdani Juma, faces new threat of removal despite no Home Office decision
Nottingham City award winner Amdani Juma, has been informed by the Home Office that he must leave the UK or face up to 6 months imprisonment and enforced removal to Burundi, even though an official Home Office determination regarding his application to remain in the UK has yet to be made.
In an unprecedented approach which may be wrong in law, the Home Office have notified Amdani of their intention to remove him but have avoided making a formal immigration decision which would provide him with the right of appeal. The 2008 winner of the City of Nottingham Inspiration Award could be removed at any time even though the legal process has not been completed. Solicitor’s acting on behalf of Amdani are in contact with the Home Office in an attempt to get a formal decision.
400 signatures were collected on behalf of Amdani last weekend and a rally is planned to protest against the Home Office actions.
A friend says:
“It seems like the Home Office can do what they want. They play foul, but it’s Amdani who gets the red card. He’s not just a number – he’s a person – he’s even been voted an inspiration to Nottingham! I can’t imagine the impact that this is having on his life; imprisonment, denied work, and now kept in immigration limbo with the constant threat of deportation hanging over his head, it’s shameful – these should be the best years of his life.”
NOTES FOR EDITORS
Amdani was awarded the 2008 City of Nottingham Inspiration Award for making a significant contribution towards enriching life in the city.
http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/pressreleases/view_article.asp?ReleaseID=4983
Paper petitions in support of Amdani total 3,200.
The online petition http://www.petitiononline.com/amdani/petition.html contains many testimonials from the community and has over 2,800 signatures. Signatories include Alan Simpson MP, Noam Chomsky.
Amdani Juma’s solicitor is Hani Zubeidi of Fadiga and Co Solicitors, London
Amdani Juma, a refugee HIV prevention and community worker in Nottingham,
was detained by the immigration authorities on Friday 30th May 2008 and was nearly deported. He was released in June 2008 following a massive local campaign and pending a Judicial Review.
Alan Simpson MP for Nottingham South and Nottingham Council leader Jon Collins have both spoken out about Mr Amdani’s proposed removal. Amdani’s HIV/AIDS prevention work has had local and national significance and groups have spoken out against the decision that his staying in the UK was not in the interests of the community.
Amdani is a Burundian national. In 2003, he was granted 3 years Humanitarian Protection but his later application for Indefinite Leave to Remain was turned down. A further application for discretion by the Home Office was also refused resulting in his detention. He was released in June 2008.
Ends
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