Responding to reports that a person seeking asylum has died on the Bibby Stockholm barge, Steve Valdez-Symonds, Amnesty International UK’s Refugee and Migrant Rights Director, said:

“This is extremely distressing news and our immediate thoughts are with the person’s family and friends, and with everyone still being held on the Bibby Stockholm.

“We still need to learn the full circumstances behind the death, but we remain very concerned about the fear, isolation and despair on people seeking asylum - including those on this barge - are subject to. 

“What’s being completely lost in current Westminster debate on the appalling Rwanda deal is that this is still about people - people who in many cases have fled persecution and conflict in countries like Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Sudan and Eritrea.

“People seeking asylum deserve far better than this. It’s time for the UK to drastically change course on asylum.”