On Tuesday 10th January WAST management member and playwright Lydia was detained after reporting at Dallas Court and taken to Yarlswood Detention Centre. At the same time her husband Bernard was grabbed by 11 police officers and sent to Morton Hall Prison in Lincoln.

WAST are very upset by the detention of one of their members and the way she has been treated. We demand that they are released as soon as possible. Their lawyer has expressed concern that neither he, Lydia or Bernard were informed that a negative decision had been made on December 23rd.

Lydia and Bernard fled Cameroon and sought asylum in the UK on 18.12.06. Their asylum claim is based on their activities with the Southern Cameroon National Council (SCNC) a peaceful political pressure group which campaigns for the rights of the English speaking minority of Southern Cameroon. In Cameroon both Lydia and Bernard suffered beatings and imprisonment as a result of their involvement with SCNC and Lydia was raped by uniformed guard. These experiences have left them both traumatised and subject to severe depression we believe that Lydia and Bernard will face persuction and be imprisoned if they are returned to Cameroon.

TAKE ACTION: Quoting case reference: HOB1236372/3:

*  Email the Home Secretary Theresa May at mayt@parliament.uk;
      Privateoffice.external@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

*  Phone and/or fax Yarl’s Wood on Tel:  01234 821 000 Fax (Yarl’s
    Wood centre):  01234 821 096; Fax (UKBA):  01234 271 349