 This statement is made on behalf of Katia Zatuliveter, the ex-parliamentary researcher of Mike Hancock MP whom the Home Secretary is seeking to deport on the grounds that her presence in the UK is no longer conducive to the public good for reasons of national security.
On Monday 13 December, Katia was released on bail by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC). Despite considering her a national security threat the Government was happy for our client to be released if she agreed to abide by certain bail conditions. Katia consented to those conditions in order to end her detention in Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre and to ensure she could spend Christmas with her family. The current onerous bail conditions include strict residency requirements and require Katia to seek the Home Secretary’s permission to meet with anyone other than her immediate family and legal team.
We now understand from correspondence and continued media speculation that the Home Secretary believes Katia is and has been working as an agent for the Russian Intelligence Services. This is an allegation which our client vehemently denies.
There will be a hearing in February to challenge the bail conditions imposed, after which there will be a further hearing in which we will challenge the deportation order. Given the seriousness of the allegations we consider it would be in the interests of all concerned for the appeal against the deportation order to be heard as soon as possible.
Katia Zatuliveter stated:
“I am not working for and have never worked for the Russian Intelligence Services. I have been released from detention on bail but I am having to abide by very difficult bail conditions. I have lost my job and am now looking for employment so that I can support myself but obviously given my situation it is very difficult. I do not understand why the deportation order has been made against me but I am determined to stay in the UK to fight to clear my name.”
Tessa Gregory, solicitor, of Public Interest lawyers added:
“Katia’s present situation is truly Kafkaesque. She has been arrested, detained and is now living under stringent bail conditions yet we still have no inkling as to the Home Secretary’s case against her. We are appealing the deportation order and seeking to have it quashed. Due to national security concerns much of the case is likely to be heard in closed courts with Special Advocates appointed by the Attorney-General dealing with the evidence. This means that our client is unlikely to ever know the full details of the case against her.”
For more information, please contact Tessa Gregory on 0121 515 5069, 07739 822980 or tessa.gregory@publicinterestlawyers.co.uk. |
