Probe call over 'triple suicide' at Glasgow tower block

Calls have been made for a public inquiry after a family of Russian asylum seekers in Glasgow apparently committed suicide.

The father, mother and son are believed to have jumped from the 15th floor of a tower block at the Red Road flats in the city's Springburn area on Sunday.

Positive Action in Housing said it was organising a demonstration outside the UK Border Agency in Glasgow on Tuesday.

It called for an inquiry and an end to "barbaric" asylum system practices.

The BBC understands the Russian couple and their son had previously been granted asylum in Canada but left after a dispute with the authorities there.

They first arrived in the UK in 2007 and had been living at the tower block at 63 Petershill Drive, which is currently let to the YMCA.

Their application to remain in the UK had recently been refused but they had not been issued with a removal order.

According to a source familiar with the case, the family had been told that they had to leave their flat in Springburn after their application was refused.

No removal order had been issued, however, and they were advised to seek help from the Scottish Refugee Council to find alternative accommodation.

The family are believed to have jumped to their deaths shortly before 0845 GMT on Sunday.

The bodies were discovered by the concierge at the tower block after they had fallen from the 15th floor.

Police said there did not appear to be any suspicious circumstances.

In a statement, Positive Action in Housing said: "We believe there should be a public inquiry into these deaths, and the impact of the UK Border Agency and its terror campaign - disguised as asylum policy - on the lives of asylum seekers who have lived here for years but live in permanent fear of destitution, detention and removal.

"Many asylum seekers flee persecution or death, only to be terrorised by the prospect of removal back to an unsafe country, and in the process face destitution or long term detention.

"The current asylum system is based on the false premise that all asylum seekers are bogus. We need a complete rethink."

'Could be better'

John Wilkes, chief executive of the Scottish Refugee Council, told BBC Radio Scotland that while he would not comment on this specific case, the asylum system could be improved.

"One of the things that we continue to call for is much better clarity for people who are going through the system about what's happening, what the next steps might be and what the options might be.

"That's certainly something that has improved but its could be better.

"People also see other people in the system, maybe who've been refused, getting a claim on appeal, so we need to improve the quality of decision making at the first stage, so that there are fewer appeals in the system."