Opelo Kgari and her mother have lived in the UK for 14 years – since Opelo was just 13. For almost three months they’ve been detained at Yarl’s Wood detention centre, uncertain of their future.
Opelo was detained in January 2018 following a routine ‘signing’ appointment at her local immigration office in Stoke-on-Trent. This is something that tens of thousands of people have to do every week, or month, while they wait for a decision on their immigration or asylum application. Detention happened suddenly. It always does. Opelo had no chance to collect any belongings, possession, clothes, paperwork. Please sign and share this petition calling for their freedom. Opelo refuses to be silenced by this persecution. She took a leading role in the month long #HungerForFreedom strike at Yarl’s Wood, that captured international attention. The Home Office have twice tried to deport her, with the last attempt was last week. Last month she wrote about the strike, saying:A decision to allow them to stay would be a first step towards achieving a more humane immigration system based on fairness and decency. Please sign and share the petition.“My mum and I are working for freedom from these walls to live a normal life and be with our friends again. But I know in my heart that none of us are truly free until we are all free.”