News: Refugees, asylum seekers & migrants

28.07.2004 A Ukrainian aged 31 was found hanged in Harmondsworth detention centre on 19 July. His death sparked a night of disturbances at the centre and has led to all of the detainees being transferred to prisons and other detention centres. At least 10 asylum seekers and foreign nationals have died by their own hand in detention or prison since 2000.

22.07.2004 Asylum seekers in Scotland who have been selected to take part in trials for electronic tagging will be tracked by satellite and mobile phone technology. They will be phoned twice a day and asked questions in their mother tongue.

20.07.2004 The Home Office has promised a full investigation after the discovery of a hanged detainee led to a "serious disturbance" overnight at the country's largest immigration removal centre.

19.07.2004 Shahin Porfohe, 24, an Iranian asylum seeker, has been told he has been refused asylum. Shahin, who earlier sewed up his eyes, ears and mouth, faces the death penalty in Iran for having a homosexual affair.

16.07.2004 Welcome, a 20-minute film telling the story of three asylum seekers who have faced eviction in Glasgow has been released by the Camcorder Guerillas collective. Hundreds of asylum seekers in Glasgow have already been evicted and more are being thrown out onto the streets every week.

13.07.2004 The Home Office is now targeting public transport systems as part of a crackdown on illegal immigrants with a reported "high degree of success". Immigration officers are accompanying British Transport Police stationed at ticket barriers at London Underground stations. Passengers who come through the gates without the correct ticket can be questioned on their immigration status.

08.07.2004 Claims that Britain is facing a "tidal wave" of immigrants have been dismissed as a "myth" by an influential committee of MPs. In a wide-ranging report, the cross-party Commons International Development Committee said that migrants coming to the UK benefited the country and should not be treated as a "problem".

01.07.2004 Britain is extremely generous to asylum seekers, Home Office permanent secretary John Gieve told the Commons' Public Accounts Committee yesterday. He was explaining why the number of asylum applications was so high in Britain compared with other countries.