An inquest opening today in Brisbane into the death of a young Sudanese refugee who was held in Manus Island offshore immigration detention centre will shed light on Australia’s secretive offshore detention regime, says human rights law firm the National Justice Project.
In December 2016 Faysal Ishak Ahmed collapsed and suffered head injuries inside the Australian offshore immigration detention centre on Manus Island. He was then evacuated to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, where he was removed from life support and died on 24 December 2016.
The inquest will examine Faysal’s medical treatment in the months leading up until his death, and whether there was any avoidable delay in his medical evacuation to Brisbane.
Ashleigh Buckett, Principal Solicitor at the National Justice Project, says that scrutiny of conditions inside Australian-run offshore detention centres is crucial.
“Faysal’s tragic death puts a human face to the suffering of people held on Manus Island, and we hope that this inquest provides answers for Faysal’s family, who have waited for many years for the truth about his death,” she said.
“This is one of only a handful of inquests into refugee deaths in Australian secretive offshore detention centres, which have been closed to advocates and the media. We expect this inquest to offer an insight into conditions within Australian detention centres, and the impact on the people detained there.”
“At a time when the Australian Government looks to be reviving offshore detention, this punitive and opaque regime needs urgent scrutiny. The Australian Government has a responsibility to protect and provide adequate care to refugees that it holds in immigration detention. We need transparency and accountability.”
Refugee advocate Ian Rintoul says that he hopes important questions will be answered at the inquest.
“Faysal’s family and friends have many questions about the medical care he received on Manus Island that they hope will be covered in this inquest. Were his medical symptoms, including severe chest pain, taken seriously in the months before his collapse? Why was the letter signed by 60 of the Manus refugees requesting urgent medical treatment ignored by Australian authorities in the days prior to his death? What was the reason for the delay in Faysal’s medical evacuation to Brisbane Hospital? Were there delays to his treatment that could have saved his life?” he said.
Faysal Ishak Ahmed was born in Khartoum and sought asylum in Australia after fleeing war in Sudan. He was held in Australian offshore detention on Manus Island from October 2013.
The inquest into Faysal’s death will be presided over by State Coroner Terry Ryan and will examine:
- The findings required by s. 45(2) of the Coroners Act 2003; namely the identity of the deceased, when, where and how he died and what caused his death;
- Based on the expert evidence, what was the likely cause of Mr Ishak Ahmed’s collapse on 22 December 2022 and could that have been identified and prevented prior to Mr Ishak Ahmed’s collapse. There will be special focus upon the standard of his treatment throughout 2016 as his condition became much worse.
- The adequacy and appropriateness of the treatment and care provided to Mr Ishak Ahmed at the Manus Island Regional Processing Centre Immediately following his collapse on 22 December 2016, and whether any avoidable delay was outcome changing.
For more information or to arrange an interview contact Fiona Ivits on 0487 003 872 or fionai@justice.org.au
