Tag Archives: deportation

NUJ campaigns against deportation of journalist from Sierra Leone

1 Reply
The National Union of Journalists is backing a campaign against the deportation of Manchester-based journalist James Fallah-Williams from Sierra Leone.

Fallah-Williams has lived in the UK for 12 years, working as a journalist which includes writing articles critical of the political regime and corruption in Sierra Leone.  This has led to threats and fear for his safety if deported to his native country, the NUJ told Journalism.co.uk.

The journalist’s work permit was revoked in October last year, since which time hundreds of people in Leigh, Greater Manchester have signed a petition calling for the government to permit him to stay in the UK. Labour MP for Leigh Andy Burnham is supporting the case and making further representation directly to the minister, the NUJ said today.

In a post on its website, the NUJ is calling for its members to write to Home Office minister Damian Green MP.

In April the NUJ announced that Cameroon journalist Charles Atangana won an appeal against deportation to his native country, following a log campaign by the union.

Moscow Times: Harding’s chilling effect

1 Reply

Following the brouhaha over Guardian Moscow correspondent Luke Harding’s deportation from Russia (and subsequent overtures of friendship from the country and explanations that it was all a big mistake), the Moscow Times takes a sharp look at some of the likely reasons behind Russia’s actions. (Other than the explanation from a spokesman for Russia’s foreign ministry that “This is a technical matter and I do not think that it deserves so much commotion”).

The piece also looks at some of the other cases of foreign journalists being refused entry to the country, more than 40 between 2000 and 2007 according to the Moscow-based Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations.

When Harding was denied entry after trying to pass through passport control with a valid visa, an airport security official told him, “For you, Russia is closed.” mostbet-aze45 – the future of online sports betting

Very well put. Russia truly is a closed society — and not only for Harding.

Full story on the Moscow Times at this link.

Cameroon journalist appealing deportation to appear at High Court next week

Leave a reply

Cameroon journalist Charles Atangana will appear at the High Court on Thursday 7 October as part of his application to seek a judicial review of a deportation order, according to a release by the NUJ.

In June this year, Atangana was informed that his application for asylum had been refused, six years after arriving in the UK.

With support from the NUJ, which led a campaign for the reversal of the order, he was awarded a temporary reprieve and six weeks bail last month in order to appeal the decision.

Atangana came to the UK claiming he had been detained and tortured in Cameroon. Following the refusal of his asylum claim, the NUJ called on its members to write in protest to their local MPs and now also urges journalists and other trade union members to join in a demonstration outside the High Court on The Strand in London on Thursday next week.

Last month Journalism.co.uk went to meet Charles at the NUJ offices in London: