Statement on death at Manston STHF

We are heartbroken to hear that a man detained at Manston short-term holding facility(Detention centre/ STHF) died in the hospital this Saturday morning [19th November 2022] after becoming ill.

Our thoughts are with his friends, families and those still detained there. 

This adds to another layer of mounting evidence of horrific conditions in which people seeking sanctuary are held and mistreated on arrival. There are reports of several infectious diseases spreading inside the centre, including eight confirmed cases of diphtheria, a severe and highly contagious bacterial infection. Holding people without support networks, in high-risk environments prone to infectious disease outbreaks, with no healthcare access and no lawyers are causing severe harm. 

This death and further disastrous harm could have been avoided if the Home Office had acted quickly to stop treating people inhumanely. The circumstances surrounding this person's death should be thoroughly investigated concerning prior detention in Manston STHF. 

In the short term, AVID is calling for the immediate release of everyone detained in these horrific detention centres to safe, supported, community-based alternatives. 

However, this also falls on all of us to stand up to the power to push back on bigotry and unequal treatment of detained people.

This should no longer infect our institutions or our hearts.