Death of Another Iranian Refugee on Nauru Island

A refugee rights advocacy organization in Australia announced on Friday, June 15, the death of another Iranian refugee on Nauru Island.

According to France Press Agency, the Iranian refugee, whose name has not yet been released, was 26 years old and suffered from depression before apparently taking his own life.

According to reports, the refugee in question had been sent to the island nation of Nauru by the Australian government approximately five years ago along with his mother and brother.

This is not the first time an Iranian refugee has become a victim of suicide in Australian refugee camps.

In August 2017, Australian officials also announced that an Iranian citizen named “Hamed Shamsheripour,” 28 years old, apparently “hanged himself.”

In an effort to deter refugees from entering Australian territory by sea and boat, the Australian government has been sending these displaced people to two islands—Nauru and Manus—for several years.

This is despite the fact that since the beginning, the living conditions in the camps on these two islands and the process of handling asylum cases have been criticized by human rights defenders and the United Nations.

For instance, in November 2017, the United Nations, while warning about the emergency situation at Australia’s refugee detention center located in Papua New Guinea, called on Canberra officials to take action to ease several days of tension between refugees and relevant authorities.

In this regard, Australia’s Interior Ministry has only stated that it is aware of the death of the Iranian refugee, but will not comment on the matter.

Evan Rheintal, from the Coalition Action for Refugees organization, described the suicide victim as “a young, beloved man who would do anything for his brother and mother.”

According to Mr. Rheintal, the Australian government has “consistently” ignored requests for help from refugees on Nauru and Manus, and “all refugees and displaced persons” living on these two islands “suffer from some form of mental illness.”

According to this human rights defender, since 2013, the suicide of the young Iranian is the fifth death to occur on Nauru.

According to reports from the Coalition Action for Refugees organization, 1,600 people are still being held in camps on the two islands of Nauru and Manus.

Based on research and statistics released by the Australian Parliament, the majority of refugees in Manus and the other camp on Nauru are Iranians.

Source: Radio Farda