We are shocked and disappointed by today’s verdict. These proceedings arose following the misguided and hasty arrest of Hicham for possessing genuine research material on the university campus, and the subsequent public outcry no doubt cause embarrassment for the authorities. Hicham’s initial arrested was described as a serious ‘cock-up’ by Nottingham South MP Alan Simpson - and despite being released without charge, Hicham was immediately re-arrested under the Immigration Act. These proceedings have been described as politically motivated and an attempt to overshadow the initial blunder and embarrassment of the terror arrests, which sparked and international debate about academic freedom in British universities.
More importantly the Home Office attempt to deport Hicham without trial resulted in one of the biggest anti-deportation campaigns seen in British history. This campaign continues to stand by Hicham as an invaluable and much-loved member of the Nottingham community in his fight against an unjust deportation.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Guy // Feb 12, 2009 at 8:56 pm
This is a crushing disappointment. But here’s to the appeal. Never give up.
2 Guy // Feb 13, 2009 at 12:15 am
There’s a very real sense that this verdict was unjust and I’m sure an appeal will be successful.
3 John Hayden // Feb 13, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Utterly Disgusting! I wish the Home Office would rot in Hell for systematically destroying a man of this caliber!
4 Andy // Feb 19, 2009 at 3:11 am
Seriously kafkaesque - the prosecution somehow convinced a jury that someone who was publicly visible, with a visible job, drama roles and protest publicity up to a few weeks ago, who had an application for indefinite leave to remain pending and applied for a driver’s license, who had neither returned without trial nor gone into hiding, had somehow deceived the state into thinking he had a stamp which surely they should have their own records on?!
I daresay the passport only turned up because police turned his house upside down after the raid. One must surely expect such a search to be more thorough than that conducted by someone who can’t find their passport.