23 year-old Omid, an Iranian refugee detained by Australia on Nauru, died in a Brisbane hospital on Friday after setting himself on fire in front of visiting UNHCR officials. A witness reported his last words were, “This is how tired we are, this action will prove how exhausted we are. I cannot take it anymore.”
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/apr/29/refugee-who-set-himself-alight-on-nauru-dies-of-injuries-in-hospital
Now his wife has, according to a recorded message received by The Guardian, been detained secretly in a hotel room, refused a lawyer and is being sedated if she becomes emotional.
Demand that the Australian Immigration department:
1) Allow Doctors For Refugees full and unrestricted ACCESS to visit her friend who is with her and has requested a visit.
2) Allow her ACCESS to full and unrestricted legal support.
In her own words:
“You know I’m grieving and I need to cry but as soon as I want to cry they give me pills or injections to keep me calm,” she said in a recorded message sent to Guardian Australia and interpreted. “They don’t want my voice to be raised or heard by others. They want me to be emotionless and inactive.”
"They have told me, if anyone finds out your whereabouts we will put more restrictions on you. I’m not even allowed to yell or cry.”
“They told me because I don’t have a right visa I’m not eligible for a lawyer,”
A friend of Omid’s wife said immigration officials had also tried to convince her to return to Iran with her husband’s body. She is, just as Omid was, a recognised refugee whose claims of persecution in her home country were found to be valid.
Doctors for Refugees has sought access to visit a friend of Omid's wife who is with her, but this has been refused.
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/may/02/widow-of-refugee-who-set-himself-alight-being-kept-in-hotel-and-denied-a-lawyer
Please TAKE ACTION NOW.
Update #37 years ago
Access to visit the friend of Omid's wife, who is with her, by Doctors For Refugees has been refused.
An individual has the right to see a Doctor if they have requested to see one.
Keep spreading awareness we are close to hitting our target of 1000 signatures. This will make a difference.
Update #27 years ago
We have heard that Senator Hanson-Young, from the Green Party, is also looking at ways to visit Omid's wife personally.
There has still been no movement from the Immigration department to allow Doctors For Refugees access to see the friend who is with Omid's wife. Please continue to share widely so that we can change this together!!
Update #17 years ago
Doctors For Refugees are fully behind our petition. Thank you if you joined from the recent posting on their Facebook page.
When I receive any further updates on the current situation with Omid's wife I will be sure to let you all know.
It is critical at this time that we move as fast as possible to influence the outcome in this truly desperate situation. Please share this story and petition far and wide so we can make the voice of Humanity heard loud and clear.
#helpomidswife
