An Iraqi immigration detainee, in his 30s, has been found hanged in Hume compound, Villawood, this morning Sunday, 29 January. He had been detained at Villwood for the last five years.
It is understood, his room was last checked at 10pm, last night, Saturday 28 January.
The circumstances of his death need to be fully investigated. The man had asked numerous times over the last couple of weeks to be moved from Hume Compound because of tensions with other detainees.
Yesterday morning (i.e. Saturday 28th January) he again asked to be moved. But his request was again ignored.
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On Saturday night the detainee was again involved in a fight inside Hume compound.
“It is shocking that there has been yet another suicide in Villawood detention centre. It is not just a factory for mental illness, it is becoming a suicide factory. There was no reason for this man to be held in Villawood. People with even longer jail sentences have recently been released as the Immigration has reviewed their cases,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.
“Section 501 of the Migration Act needs to be scrapped; the detention centres should close.”