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Convener's horror at detention of five-year-old twins

A SENIOR Church of Scotland convener has voiced his horror at the news two five-year-old school children were detained and taken to Dungavel in their uniform.

Reverend Ian Galloway, Church and Society Council convener, spoke out following the detention of twins Joshua and Joel Ovranah, along with their mother Stephanie, after they went to sign on at Brand Street Immigration Centre on Wednesday afternoon.

The boys had come straight from St Rose of Lima Primary in Glasgow's east-end, and were wearing their school uniform as officials transported them to the detention centre.

Mr Galloway said: "The General Assembly along with many others in Scotland have expressed their abhorrence at the practice of detaining young children and have asked the Scottish government to end this brutal and inhumane regime.

"Here is the latest example of young children being put in distressing circumstances without any indication that they have done anything other than what has been asked of them."

Stephanie, Josh and Joel have been involved in activities through the Cranhill Community Project in Glasgow, and have also been attending Cranhill Parish Church.

Stephanie arrived in the UK in 2006 when her boys were infants, fleeing domestic violence at the hands of her partner and his mother in Nigeria. She has severe scarring caused by burns she says were inflicted by her partner's mother.

Stephanie's own mother and sister are in London, with leave to remain. She asserts that her partner will forcibly take the boys from her if she is sent back to Nigeria.

Minister Reverend Muriel Pearson, who visited the family yesterday afternoon at the detention centre, said it was likely they would be transferred to Yarls Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire, which would isolate the family further.

Ms Pearson said: "Our church members question the need to detain the family, since Stephanie does not pose a flight risk. They also wonder what it costs to run and staff a centre like Dungavel.

"Visitors have all their belongings removed, are photographed and have finger print recognition done. It is a horrific experience for anyone to go through, not least for two five-year-old boys."

Ends

Note to News Desks:

For more information please phone Reverend Muriel Pearson on 0141 770 6873 or 07951 888860.

To speak to someone from the media and communications team please phone 07854 783 539.

nr/20/03/10

Monday 8, March 2010

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