asylum seekers

The Hammersmith Law Centre will lose 60% of its funding in cuts voted for by the Tory Hammersmith and Fulham Council, which is fairly disastrous.

This site is adding interviews with people who have used the law centre for legal help and advice over the years. Law centre clients are often immigrants and people seeking asylum. They're often from places the west is hostile to: Afghanistan, Iran and so on.

If you click on the 'read more' link below, links to all other articles and interviews on this topic will appear in the menu to the right.

Here's another guy who went to the law centre for help negotiating immigration law and the Home Office. He's from Iran. He's a witty, gentle type who is almost happy to talk about life as an Middle Eastern immigrant in these delicate times. He's a little reluctant to release personal details, like his name.

'Maybe I am too paranoid,' he grins. 'You can worry too much about them saying things out there about you.'

That is true, although there are times when paranoia is probably the rational option. This guy, now greying a little, did a bit of political organising in Iran when he was younger. He seems to have come to the attention of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, or the Iranian authorities, at least, as a result. 'I mean, I was helping some students, and I helped some people do some political things... um, like taking part in meetings, organising meetings... so I decided to stay here.'