City rally for torture survivor

Amdani Juma said many people had been killed in Burundi since the 60s

A city centre rally has taken place to stop the deportation of an African torture survivor who has been in Nottingham for the last five years.

Amdani Juma from Burundi, now a community worker in Nottingham, was detained in May but was released after protests in June.

He is awaiting a decision on his indefinite leave to remain application.

His supporters wanted to raise awareness of his case by holding the demonstration in the old Market Square.

They said Amdani Juma, who has worked with other refugees and in HIV prevention programmes, had helped hundreds of people in the East Midlands since he fled Burundi amid fighting and ethnic cleansing.

Thousands have already signed up to the campaign.

Mr Juma told the BBC people in Burundi had suffered under its regime for more than four decades.

He said: "They really want democracy. They are tired.

"The killings have been for decades and decades, since the 1960s until today. Burundi has suffered so much."

But the Home Office said it was safe for him to return and earlier this year prepared to fly him home.

The Home Office said it did not enforce returns unless it was satisfied that it was safe to do so.

Amdani Jumani is now waiting to hear if a judicial review will mean he is allowed to stay in the UK and keep working.