Hazara community mourns asylum seeker who 'set himself on fire'

A Hazara asylum seeker is believed to have "set himself on fire" during a video call with refugee advocates. It's understood the 30-year-old was due to meet immigration staff and feared he would be sent back to detention or his native Afghanistan, after being charged by police.

A Hazara asylum seeker is believed to have "set himself on fire" during a video call with refugee advocates. Source: Supplied

He came to Australia as an asylum seeker, but Khodayar Amini’s life became difficult after spending time in and out of detention.

The 30-year-old died after setting himself on fire during a video call with refugee advocates yesterday, the Refugee Rights Action Network (RRAN) says.

Members of the Hazara community in Melbourne, gathered to lay flowers at the sight in a Dandenong Park.

“It’s a very tragic death,” said Hazara community representative John Gulzari.

“We mourn the death of our community member. Some of these people - they’ve been suffering physically, mentally, psychologically.”

Mr Amini was on the phone with Sarah Ross and Michelle Bui from Perth-based Refugee Rights Action Network.

The pair had been in contact with him in the days leading to his death, and were concerned about his mental health.

“Sarah was with me and she's done suicide prevention training so when Khodayar called me I had her next to me trying to sort of help guide what I should say to him,” RRAN’s Michelle Bui told SBS.

“He told us that the Taliban had killed his whole family, his mother, his father and his brother,” added RRAN’s Sarah Ross.

Ms Ross had met Mr Amini while he was at the Yongah Hill detention centre in Western Australia.

“The mental health of asylum seekers drastically deteriorates with the length of time they're in detention,” she said.

Hazara Community representative, Zakia Baig said many asylum seekers also suffer from mental health conditions.

“Many people waiting, you know, in detention centres, for their future, they are living in limbo.”

“He’s seen the war of his whole family being killed in Afghanistan, so he didn’t want to avail himself back to this danger,” said Hazara community representative John Gulzari.

“Afghanistan is still very unsafe, and very dangerous place for Hazaras to return to.”

Former Afghani refugee Hayatullah Rahimi added, “The Hazara is the most ethnic group in Afghanistan, and they will be persecuted by the Taliban.”

Mr Amini had been living in Sydney for the past few months, before arriving in Melbourne a week before his death.

Refugee advocates said he was trying to flee police and immigration staff.

It's understood Mr Amini’s flatmates told him police had visited his home looking for him.

In a statement, New South Wales Police said Mr Amini was charged with using a carriage service to stalk, intimidate and threaten to kill.

“They relate to an alleged offensive and threatening phone call received by an organisation” the statement read.

He was due to face court on November 10^th.

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection said it couldn’t comment while an investigation was underway, but confirmed during Senate estimates that a man known to the Department had died.

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