immigration

Villawood Detention Centre: Death of David Saunders – third Death in Three Months

Latest Death in Detention: David Saunders. Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brunoderegge/ 2396998656/sizes/ l/in/pool-45825108@N00/

Villawood Detention Centre continues to be a place of death with the third death of a detained man in three months. 

David Saunders, a 29 year old British national held for “visa breaches” was found dead at 3.20 am in the morning on 8 September.  Mr Saunders was held in the high security wing and is reported to have been wanted in Britain on criminal charges. 

The cause of his death is not immediately known, although refugee advocates say he committed suicide.  Media report that the man “did not arrive by boat”.  Presumably he arrived by plane (there being no other way of arriving in Australia).  Why the mode of his arrival is considered significant is not made clear in media reports.   

The Department of Immigration expressed its sympathy to the family of the deceased man, as they have done in respect of deaths of others in immigration detention.

The latest death has been greeted with calls for an inquiry into conditions in Villawood.

This man, whose name is not available at the time of writing, is the 925th person to die in connection with Australian border controls and detention facilities since 2000.

References

ABC Online Herald Sun Sky News

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