Reza Barati

Reza Barati was a 23 year-old Iranian asylum seeker[1][2] who was killed on Manus Island (Papau New Guinea) during rioting at the Manus Island Regional Processing Centre (MIRPC). Barati had arrived in Australia on 24 July 2013 – just five days after the PNG solution was announced – and was sent to Manus Island in August. He was killed on 17 February 2014.[3] The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported the cause of death was "severe head trauma".[4] The Cornall review noted that the actual cause was cardiac arrest as a consequence of "severe brain injury".[5]

At least 15,000 people came out to attend 600 "snap protests" all over Australia. Over 4,000 Australians came together in Sydney Town Hall on 23 February 2014 to hold a candlelight vigil in memory of Barati. The protests came following the news of his death, and injuries to 62 others, after detainees rioted at the processing centre, Australia's detention centre in Papua New Guinea.[6][7]

Cornall Review

Robert Cornall, a lawyer and former Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department, was appointed in February 2014 to conduct 'a review into the circumstances surrounding the Manus Island disturbances' leading up to Barati's death[8] with the primary focus on management of security at the centre.[9][10][11][5]

The report was released in late May 2014.[12][5]

Arrests and trial

In July 2014 a security guard and later a Salvation Army worker, both Papua-New Guinean, were arrested. Both men were charged with murder. Their trial at Manus Island court was due to start on 2 March 2015. As of February 2015 three more suspects were being sought.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Manus talks every month". Papua New Guinea Facts. 2 March 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  2. ↑ "Someone's son, someone's brother: Reza Barati, an architect who had hopes for a better life". The Sydney Morning Herald. 28 February 2014
  3. ↑ "Manus violence: dead asylum seeker named as Iranian Reza Barati, 23", The Guardian 21 February 2014
  4. ↑ Cochrane, Liam (22 August 2014). "Reza Barati: Salvation Army suspect in Manus Island riot murder tried to fake own death to evade capture, police say". ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)). Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Cornell, Robert (23 May 2014). "Review into the Events of 16 - 18 February 2014 at the Manus Island Regional Centre" (PDF-6 MB). Department of Immigration and Border Protection. pp. 63–66. section–8.1. Retrieved 11 April 2015. ...His heart rate dropped ... leading to his death from a cardiac arrest ... a classic secondary response to raised intercranial pressure secondary to severe brain injury. - Doctor treating Barati
  6. ↑ "Australians Hold Protests in Memory of Slain Iranian Reza Barati; Cambodia Considers Accepting Asylum Seekers", International Business Times, 24 February 2014
  7. ↑ "Candlelight vigils held for slain asylum seeker Reza Berati who died on Manus Island", ABC News, 24 February 2014
  8. ↑ Farrell, Paul (21 February 2014), "Manus Island inquiry will be led by Robert Cornall, says Scott Morrison", The Guardian, archived from the original on 28 February 2014
  9. ↑ Terms of Reference Review into the events of 16-18 February 2014 at the Manus Regional Processing Centre, Canberra: Department Immigration and Border Protection, 27 February 2014, archived from the original on 28 February 2014
  10. ↑ Farrell, Paul (27 February 2014). "Consultant investigating Manus Island unrest insists he is independent". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014.
  11. ↑ Independent Reviews into Incidents at Offshore Regional Processing Centres: Review into the events of 16-18 February 2014 at the Manus Regional Processing Centre, Department of Immigration and Border Protection. Accessed 26 May 2014
  12. ↑ "Morrison releases Manus Island riot report". SBS World News Radio (Special Broadcasting Service (SBS)). 27 May 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2015. Berati ... was struck from behind .... also kicked and had a rock dropped on his head, before dying of heart failure while being treated by medical staff.
  13. ↑ Cochrane, Liam (27 February 2015). "Reza Barati: Trial of two men accused of killing asylum seeker on Manus Island to start next week". ABC News (Australia: ABC). Retrieved 11 April 2015.