‘He was scared to stay here,’ says a friend of the 26-year-old Iranian, who had grown increasingly worried he was being followed

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

An asylum seeker living in the community on a bridging visa has taken his life at Brisbane airport, allegedly fearful he was soon to be deported.



Reza, a 26-year-old Iranian whose last name cannot be published out of concern for retribution against his family, had grown increasingly worried that he was being followed and would be taken into detention.

“He was scared to stay here,” a friend said.

“He was scared and thinking that people would get him if he stay here. He thought that he must escape from this area as police and people were chasing him. He got to Brisbane and he stayed in the street until morning.”

The friend said Reza called him at 7am on Tuesday and said: “I am tired. Always police and people follow me. I want to kill myself. Tell my family.”

Queensland police confirmed to Guardian Australia they were preparing a report for the coroner following the discovery of the body of a 26-year-old man at Brisbane airport.

There were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death, police said.

Reza had been living in Melbourne for two years on a bridging visa but had recently been dealing with severe mental health issues. He had become convinced he would be detained by immigration in an attempt to return him to Iran. He told friends he was being followed.

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There has been a spate of asylum seekers on bridging visas attempting self-harm and suicide. Earlier this month, Afghan Khodayar Amini self-immolated in a park in Dandenong, south-east of Melbourne.

He had been living in his car, fearful of having his visa cancelled for an allegedly making a threatening phone call. It was understood to be related to a mental health episode.

Another Afghan asylum seeker, 27-year-old Mohammad Nasim Najafi, died in his room at Yongah Hill detention centre in Western Australia in August. His cause of death is the subject of a coronial inquiry.

Najafi had previously shared a room with Amini at Yongah Hill.

In Papua New Guinea on Tuesday, an Afghan refugee being held at the East Lorengau transit centre on Manus Island attempted suicide.

The man, who was a doctor in Afghanistan but has battled serious mental health issues in recent months, was found unconscious on a vomit-stained mattress on the floor of his room at the centre.

He was taken to Lorengau hospital in a serious condition, but has since been released and returned to the transit centre.

In response to questions from Guardian Australia about both incidents on Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the department of immigration said: “These are matters for the Queensland police and PNG Government respectively.”