Emran (Name changed) is from Bamian, Afghanistan and belongs to the Hazaras tribe, a minority ethnicity. His father fled from Afghanistan to the UK after the Afghan Civil War began in 1992, as the Hazara tribe were a target for the Taliban. He returned to Afghanistan a few years later to sell some belongings but went missing between 2002 and 2003. His family believe their father is dead.

In 2007 Emran’s older brother’s Sharif and Imamudim were both killed when Taliban (believed to be part of the Kochi tribe) attacked his tribe’s farmland. Many who were left alive in his town were captured and moved to the nearby mountains. After 3-4 days 10 year-old Emran and 6 other children were released. Emran says he was tortured with knives and wire during this time.

He lived with his mother and sisters for a time working at a car wash, earning the equivalent of 50p - £1 each day. After some time Emran’s Mother decided he should leave the country

for his own safety. Emran travelled to Iran,

was smuggled in a small car into Turkey, then Greece, traveled to Austria, through Italy to France. Emran reached Calais Jungle (a former refugee and migrant camp in the port of

Calais) in 2014. He spent a year and a half there attempting to board lorries going to England each night. During his time in Calais Jungle he converted to Christianity after meeting a group of Iranians. Soon after Emran boarded a lorry to England.

Upon his arrival in the UK in May 2016 he claimed asylum. From Croydon he was moved to a Birmingham hostel where he spent 47 days and from there went to temporary accommodation in Derby. His claim for asylum and appeal were both rejected, and as a result, four months after his appeal, in August 2017 Emran was detained.

During detention at Brook House, (Gatwick Immigration Removal Centre) Emran was forced on a plane for removal on two occasions. Emran was scared of being deported to Afghanistan, fearing for his life. During both attempts he screamed and cried, struggling with Tascor staff (a company who provide Police custody & security services) when boarding the planes.

This excerpt is taken from Emran’s Witness statement shortly after being put onto the plane, ‘I took the opportunity to hit my head very

hard on the TV in front of me. The TV screen smashed. I did it because I was afraid to go back to Afghanistan, I don’t even care if I lost my mind.’ During this incident, Emran remarks that the one of the officers threatened him, physically abused him and at one point he lost consciousness.

Emran was placed back into detention after the second removal attempt and visited by a solicitor shortly afterwards, who helped to fight his case. Later in October 2017 Emran was beaten by a group of detainees, leaving him unconscious and with abrasions to his face.

A fresh claim for his asylum case was made through his solicitor based on his torture as a ten-year old, being from Hazara and the dangers he would face as a Christian in Afghanistan. The Home Office accepted the evidence that Emran was a victim of torture and released him from

detention at the end of October 2017. He is still waiting to see if this fresh claim will be accepted by the Home Office and if he will be given leave to remain in the UK.

Since being released from detention Emran has been moved to accommodation in Stoke- on- Trent. He regularly attends a local church and has recently been baptised. Emran describes his life now as happy in Stoke with friends, sporting activities and a place at college. Stoke now feels like home, “Now it’s not just me, big family is here. All my family is here. I am happy now. I like Stoke.”