UK threatens Rwanda-bound hunger strikers with faster deportation
June 3, 2022, 7:04 am

UK threatens Rwanda-bound hunger strikers with faster deportation

Rwanda-Kigali/Pixabay

The UK Home Office has said, hunger-striking asylum-seekers, destined for Rwanda, will be deported faster if they do not consume food and water.

The Arabnews said that at least 17 people from Syria, Egypt and Sudan, who are being held at the Brook House immigration removal center near Gatwick Airport, began the protest when they were told they would be sent to Rwanda on June 14 as part of a controversial new scheme.

One asylum-seeker was told in a letter that they might be deported even sooner if they did not stop their hunger strike.

In a warning that could be interpreted as a threat to the wider group, the letter said: “Your refusal of food and/or fluids will not necessarily lead to your removal directions being deferred. In the interests of your health and safety we may prioritize your removal from detention and the UK.”

Member of Parliament for Witham. Home Secretary - Priti Patel Twitter account

It added that the welfare of the person was “of real concern to the Home Office."

The Arabnews mentioned that some of the hunger strikers said they were being treated in the UK the same as they had been while detained in Libya.

One of them said: “I just want to be safe and free. I’m not a criminal. Why did the UK put me in prison. I have no connection with Rwanda. Why would the UK send me there?”

Syrian asylum-seekers will be on UK's first deportation flight to Rwanda

Charity workers campaigning for the detainees said they had been successfully trying to encourage them to abandon their hunger strike.

Clare Moseley, the founder of the charity Care4Calais, said five asylum-seekers remained on hunger strike but she was hopeful they would be persuaded to stop.

She said: “We’ve told them there’s lots of ways that we can fight this and lots of reasons to be hopeful. One person was released last week, another person was released yesterday. Campaigners and lawyers are working right across the bank holiday weekend and there’s lots of people behind them.

UK aims to send the first group of asylum seekers to Rwanda on June 14

She added: “We need them to eat because we need them to be strong to fight with us. They are saying that a hunger strike is the way to fight this, but we are are saying there’s other ways that we can fight it.”

A Syrian detainee at Brook House said that he and 17 others had been on hunger strike for several days. He said they would rather die than be deported to Rwanda.

On Wednesday (June 1), charities that support asylum-seekers said they had documented a number of suicide attempts among those threatened with being sent to Rwanda.

UK-Rwanda asylum seekers deal faces first legal challenge

An Iranian asylum-seeker, who attempted suicide, told charity workers she believed she faced being offshored to Rwanda. She was saved, admitted to hospital and survived.

A 40-year-old Yemeni asylum-seeker made a video addressed to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel stating that after he had arrived in the UK on April 13 and found out about the Rwanda offshoring plans he had “no other choice but to kill myself.”

It should be noted that the Home Office has said every step is taken to prevent self-harm and suicide at immigration removal centers.

Priti Patel defends plans to send asylum seekers on one-way trip to Rwanda

On Tuesday (May 31), Patel announced that the first group of asylum-seekers who entered the UK without authorization would be deported to Rwanda on June 14.

Source: arabnews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.