Asylum seeker death: family calls for answers

The family of a young asylum-seeker who has died in Australia after a cut to his foot became infected want answers from the Australian government, with their lawyer saying Saturday that such a thing "does not happen in a civilised society".

Hamid Khazayi is the second Manus Island asylum seeker to die

Iranian Hamid Khazayi is the second Manus Island asylum seeker to die

The Iranian man, named by refugee advocates as 24-year-old Hamid Khazayi, was transferred to Australia from Papua New Guinea last month after reportedly developing septicaemia.

But doctors were unable to save him.

In an exclusive interview with SBS’s Persian Program Executive Producer Peyman Jamali, a friend of the Khazayi family has said that there is confusion within Mr Khazayi's family. 

"Unfortunately there is no clarity about what has happened to him," the friend, named Tina, told SBS. 

"And this is one of the reasons that he family is angry is the way of communication between Australian government and them. They are not saying clearly when and how that has happened.

"After the last conversation that Hamid’s mother did with the government (of Australia) she said, 'I lost my son and they did nothing about it but I hope, at least, they will look after those who are now  in the detention centres.'"

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has ordered a review into the medical care the man received at the Manus Island immigration camp in PNG, with refugee advocates claiming his death was the result of neglect.

Under Canberra's hardline immigration policy, asylum-seekers arriving on unauthorised boats are denied resettlement in Australia and sent to PNG or the Pacific island of Nauru.

In offering his condolences, Morrison said the immigration department's chief medical officer was conducting an in-depth clinical review of the man's care.

The minister said he would await the results of this review before making further comments, but noted that "the criticisms that have been made to date are not based on any primary knowledge of the event or the circumstances in this case".

A lawyer for Khazayi's family, Ruth Hudson, said they were struggling to understand how the young man could die from such an infection.

"They said to me without any reservation that what they want is for justice for Hamid," she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"They want answers about the events leading to Hamid's transfer to Australia and how their son, why their son died as a result of such a non-threatening condition whilst in Australia's care. Because this just does not happen in a civilised society."

Hudson said an open and independent was inquiry needed to assess whether Khazayi received antibiotics to treat the infection soon enough.

In February, Iranian asylum-seeker Reza Barati died at PNG's Manus island after enduring a brutal beating during a riot. Another man had his throat cut but survived.

Papua New Guinea police have charged two men over Barati's murder.


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3 min read

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Source: AFP, SBS


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