Australia ignored pleas about Manus Island Iranian asylum seeker before his death

Aug 8, 2017

Society , Politics , Iranians in Diaspora

Independent aggregator of Iran-related news/events, Kodoom.com: Hamed Shamshiripour, an Iranian asylum seeker who had been suffering acute mental health crises for more than a year – and whose friends had pleaded with Australian authorities for him to be treated – has been found dead in the forest on Manus Island.

The initial reported cause of his death, suicide, has been contested by refugees and asylum seekers on the island. There are reports from Manus island that Shamshiripour had been missing since Saturday. In the photographs obtained by The Guardian, the body has visible wounds.

Shamshiripour, 31, had initially been rejected for refugee status. The Guardian reported in June last year that Shamshiripour was found, naked in the Mike compound, yelling in an incoherent and distressed state, and was arrested and taken to Lorengau prison. According to a formal complaint made by 14 fellow refugees and asylum seekers, Shamshiripour was beaten by guards instead of being cared for.

In January this year, Shamshiripour was jailed again following an acute mental breakdown. Leaked psychological support files from within the Manus Island detention centre report Shamshiripour was "agitated, aggressive, verbally abusive, pushing boundaries constantly, and has required police presence on numerous occasions".

Another report says: "Hamed informed case manager he has not made a decision about returning to Iran (while he was singing he said I want to go to Iran, wants to go to Persia)." In other reports, Shamshiripour was seen by staff drinking local home-brew alcohol and was warned of its dangers. Detention centre staff told Guardian Australia he was "a very sick man. He needs serious help."

In January Manus MP Ron Knight, who arranged for Shamshiripour to be released from prison so he could access mental healthcare, said he was receiving none. Knight said he approached the Australian high commission in Port Moresby about Shamshiripour being committed to a psychiatric facility. "The response to me was basically that our authorities should handle it."

Manus Island

Five refugees and asylum seekers have died on Manus Island under Australian government control since offshore processing was restarted in 2012.

Ian Rintoul from the Refugee Action Coalition said Shamshiripour’s death confirmed the worst fears of refugees who are currently being coerced to leave the detention centre for the transit centre where Shamshiripour was held. “Manus is not safe. East Lorengau is not safe. They have already told border force that they will not move.”

Amnesty International’s Graham Thom said Shamshiripour’s death was "yet another bleak tragedy to arise out of the ongoing suffering and tensions on Manus Island ... Irrespective of the cause, Australia must accept liability for the damage its cruel policies are causing refugees. This was a man who came seeking Australia’s protection, Amnesty International is gravely concerned that he was provided inadequate healthcare and that his safety was not the paramount consideration. It is absolutely heartless of the Australian government to be playing politics with people’s lives – this must end now. Prime Minister Turnbull and Minister Dutton must immediately evacuate the offshore camps on Nauru and Manus, they must bring the people to safety in Australia now."

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