Refugee supporters have mounted a protest vigil today (from 4pm, Thursday 10 December) at the Royal Brisbane Hospital to try to prevent a 22-year-old Iranian refugee being discharged into Brisbane’s detention centre, BITA.
Hadi (not his real name) was removed from the Kangaroo Point hotel at 5.00am Friday, 27 November, after weeks of declining mental health. While he was initially transferred to BITA, Hadi was admitted to the mental health unit of Royal Brisbane Hospital later that day.
He has been told that he will be discharged tomorrow, Friday. But IHMS has presided over his deteriorating mental health for months, and did nothing.
Hadi was held for seven years on Manus Island, before being transferred for health treatment for heart and kidney problems, 17 months ago.
After so long in detention, four months ago, his mental health began to seriously decline. Hadi’s supporters have real fears that his mental health will deteriorate further if he is returned to detention.
Hadi has already told his friend when he was held in Kangaroo Point hotel, “I think I will die in here.”
“People don’t get over seven years of torture in a few days. He should not be released into the detention environment that is the cause of his mental distress,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Collective, “Hospitals are meant to heal, not harm.”
“As long as Hadi faces a threat to his mental health, he should not be released from hospital. The Minister has the power to release Hadi from detention to ensure he can recover his mental health and get all the medical treatment he needs.”
“It is a terrible irony, that International Human Rights Day is being marked in Australia by the on-going abuse of human rights of refugees and asylum seekers across Australia’s detention regime. Hadi and all the medevac refugees need their freedom.”
For more information contact Mark Gillespie 0439 561 196 or Beverly Holmes-Brown (Hadi’s friend) 0401 976 625
