Podcast: Farhad Vahidi

In this week's podcast, Sophie Gardiner talks to Farhad Vahidi about his experiences as a young asylum seeker in the UK, including his time in detention in Yarl's Wood.
Farhad came to UK with his mother and father when was thirteen when his father faced persecution by Iranian authorities. His elder brother followed shortly afterwards, and was processed separately from the rest of the family.

Yarl's Wood Entrance (Image source: Wikipedia)

Farhad described in detail his detention experience, including the initial arrest.
"It is like a full on drugs raid."

Farhad explains how he and his mother and father were detained together in Yarl's Wood's family wing for two months; "it's got just over eighteen children, because at the time the law was that you can no longer detain under eighteens. And that was the reason the Home Office had to wait for six months, that was the reason they had to wait for me to be eighteen then they can raid the house and arrest us."

"Arriving in Yarl's Wood, it's just like going to prison, you've got to process in it, they take away all your belongings, they take away your phone, they search you up and down, you get checked by the doctor, make sure you've got no problems. You say anything like if you're feeling suicidal then that will be the end of it 'cos they're gonna have officers sitting outside your room all night making sure you don't do anything stupid."

"From the outside it does look like a prison, but from the outside it just looks like a two star hotel" he explained, describing the general facilities that were provided in Yarl's Wood. "It feels more like a hostel, except you're not allowed to leave, that's the difference."

He also mentioned how prior to his detention in Yarl's Wood, he was held in Harmondsworth "which is a completely different story! This is a proper jail, the door is locked, windows all sealed, there is barbed wire everywhere, they put a drop ne between the floors- it's completely different fro Yarl's Wood, which is more family friendly. That's what it was meant to be, when we had the law that kids could be detained, that's what it was meant for. So kids could be here, but not feel like they were actually in prison."

Farhad explained daily life during his imprisonment in Yarl's Wood, the facilities and his relationship with the staff there. "I understand that they understand that people who are bored are more likely to be aggressive because they've got nothing to do."

"It was basically like a playground, but you just didn't have the right to leave."

Farhad describes how the detention centre were very strict about everyone attending meal times; "You couldn't take food to your room, you HAD to go upstairs to their dining room, you need to be accounted for, any attempt of hunger strike, they would not tolerate it."

"One person tried it, and they were NOT very nice to that person."

He would stay up past curfew to talk with guards and had a friendly relationship with many of the staff, "because they was bored, and I was bored."

Farhad explains that after he left detention he suffered PTSD which disrupted his higher education. While Farhad and his parents were safe, his elder brother would have to wait a while before he was also finally granted asylum. "We didn't go on holiday until after he got his leave to remain."

He advised anyone who is experiencing detention or who is still in the asylum system to stay strong, "stand up for yourself, but don't cause trouble. If you ever end up in a detention centre, do what you've got to do, make friends with all the staff, don't cause trouble that you don't have to cause. If you're in a detention centre, try and do something, because one, it will get the time to pass faster and two, it will not allow you the time to overthink things."

You can hear the full story on Soundcloud.

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