We have not done anything criminal

This is an anonymous story collected from the public as part of the Human Archive Project by Nicola Anthony

I have been here now for four years eight months in direct provision, in Mount Trenchard.

I have a friend here and I can tell you his story. He is from Iran. My friend he applied for asylum and the Iranian government kept him in prison for one year. In Ireland he has now been kept for 14 months in this open prison called ‘direct provision’. He says “I want to apply somewhere else” it is worse than being in prison, being held here in Direct Provision accommodation, with no way out, such bad conditions, and no means to work, earn, or pay taxes. We want to be part of society, but the direct provision centres are placed outside of villages, far away so we cannot mingle. We are allowed out but we have a curfew. We call it open prison. We have not done anything criminal.