School children in Amsterdam have begun a campaign to get their eight-year-old classmate Hui and his mother Xui Chen released from prison in Zeist where they are awaiting deportation to China, local tv station AT5 reports.

Xui was 16 when she gave birth to Hui shortly after arriving in Amsterdam. A failed asylum seeker, she has no valid documents meaning her Dutch-born son has no nationality officially. China has refused to supply documents. Hui and his mother were apparently moved to jail because of fears they might disappear into the illegal circuit.