Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page.

On Saturday 21 May 2016, we are planning to walk from the Royal Courts of Justice to Heathrow Airport (Terminal 4), a distance of approximately 17 miles.

Neither of us is known for our sporting prowess
so why are we doing this?

We are raising funds for the AIRE Centre’s Challenge Operation Nexus Campaign. The AIRE Centre is a small legal charity based in London which works to promote individual rights in Europe.

The AIRE Centre is currently raising funds to bring a judicial review in the High Court to challenge Operation Nexus (a joint Home Office-Police project) which allows foreign nationals to be deported from the UK without ever having been convicted of an offence. It is supposed to target ‘high harm’ foreign national offenders but the AIRE Centre’s research indicates that it is being used to target people who do not fall into this definition at all (rough sleepers etc).  

In Nexus cases, if an in country right of appeal is given, appeal hearings are often unfair and conflict with the right to a fair trial. Appellants will not be able to work lawfully after the decision is taken to deport them and are not entitled to legal aid which means that they often have to represent themselves. The safeguards ensuring fair trials in the criminal courts are not present in the immigration tribunal. For example, the standard of proof is lower than in any criminal court and police officers who attend to give evidence against appellants are routinely able to rely on circumstantial and hearsay evidence (depriving the Appellant of the right to cross-examine witnesses).  Hearsay evidence is not automatically admissible in criminal courts and is subject to strict rules.

We think that Operation Nexus is unfair, unlawful and appears to be allowing arbitarary deportations to take place. Please sponsor us so that we can try and support the AIRE Centre's vital challenge. 

We have a week to raise funds so please dig deep!

All funds raised will go directly to the AIRE Centre.

Find out more about the AIRE Centre’s Challenge: https://youtu.be/7uqI3eF19AM

Thank you.

Asma & Mohbuba