51 asylum seekers/migrants in the UK, have taken their own lives

10 in Immigration Removal Centres, (there have been two other deaths in immigration detention, Olga Blaskevica was murdered by her husband in Harmondsworth IRC on the 7 May 2003, Kabeya Dimuka-bijoux died in Haslar IRC, cause of death 'undetermined', 1 May 2004.)

7 in prisons

34 in the community (since 2000)

If readers of this page know of any other deaths of asylum seekers from self-harm, not listed below, please send details to IRR or NCADC.

††† * Shaukat Ali, from Pakistan, was discovered hanging on October 10, 2007 at the Birkby flat he had been staying at while his case was being examined by immigration workers. Hanging horror of immigrant

††† * Avtar Singh, aged 37 from India, he had been living in the UK for four years, without papers, attempted to go to Spain, was caught with false instruments, jailed for seven months. On the 17th November 2007 he hung himself in his cell the day before he was to be deported

††† * Uddhav Bhandari, 40 from Nepal living in Scotland for six years, doused himself in petrol and set fire to himself in the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal Centre in Glasgow's Bothwell Street on Wednesday 7th March 2007. Despite the efforts of staff in the building who doused the flames, Uddhav sustained severe burns to all of his body and died on Monday the 19th March.

††† * Abdullah Ahmed Maroof, 30, from Iraq doused himself in petrol, before lighting it, while driving along the A19 on the edge of Norton, Stockton, in October 10th 2006. Abdullah was an ethnic Kurd and had been refused asylum in the UK.

††† * Zamira Sadigova, 51 an Azerbaijani woman who came to Scotland with her teenage son four years ago, jumped to her death from her eleventh-floor flat in Knightswood, Glasgow, as health officers and police were breaking down her door in an attempt to section her for treatment on the 17th August 2006. (Mentally ill asylum seeker left destitute leaps to her death)

††† * Janvier Makiadi (aka Paul Kiese) 31 from DR Congo, a failed asylum seeker living in Rochdale was found hanged on Saturday 3rd September 2006, a month after his NASS support was stopped. Paul had only been in the UK since March this year. (Refugee found dead at bridge)

††† * Pierre Palamba Kabamba, 61 from DR Congo, jumped from the 5th floor of a hostel for asylum seekers the Nayland Rock Hotel in Margate on Saturday the 12th August 2006.

††† * Abiy Fissiha a 35-year-old Ethiopian asylum seeker, Abiy, was found hanged in accommodation in Liverpool, on Wednesday 5th July 2006 after recently being told his asylum claim had been refused. (I'd rather die than go back)

††† * Sivanathan Gowthaman from Sri Lanka, plunged to his death as the 12.54pm South West Trains service sped through Bedhampton railway station at 40mph on May 1, 2007.

††† * Oleksiy Baronovsky aged 34 from the Ukraine, after 3 months fighting against his pending deportation, died in HMP Rye Hill after severely cutting his arms.

††† * Taufik Al-Karazeh (27) 10/02/06, A Syrian asylum seeker who lost his fight to stay in England was found hanged on the day he was meant to leave his flat.

††† * Bereket Yohannes from Eritrea became the eigth asylum seeker to die at his own hands whilst incarcerated in a UK detention centre. Detainees at Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre told NCADC that 26-year-old fellow detainee Bereket Yohannes was found hanged in the showers at Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre at 5.25pm on the afternoon of Thursday the 19th January 2006. (In Memory of Bereket Yohannes)

††† * Limbaya Ndinga, 33 years from Dr Congo, hanged himself at his cousin's house in Middleton Greater Manchester on Saturday Saturday 9 April 2005. (Hanged man feared being sent home)

††† * Manuel Bravo, a national of Angola living in Leeds was 'snatched' by immigration officials with his son Antonio on the morning of Wednesday 14th September. In the early hours of Thursday the 15th September 2005 Manuel was found hanging in a stairwell at Yarl's Wood Removal Centre. Manuel and Antonio had been living in Armley, Leeds for the last three years after leaving war-torn Angola. (Asylum-seeker killed himself so son could stay)

††† * Anderson da Silva aged 25 from Brazil an immigrant witih out papers jumped from the top of a carpark in Leeds on October 5th 2005. Anderson was said to have felt trapped by his hidden life.

††† * Edmore Ngwenya, 26, from Zimbabwe, drowned at Salford Quays on Wednesday 14 September 2005.

††† * Nusrat Raza, from Pakistan, living in Undercliffe, Bradford, died on the 28th June 2005 after setting her self alight, she had been very depressed about being returned to Pakistan after losing her asylum claim.

††† * Babak Ahadi, (33), 6/7/05, Iranian asylum seeker who set himself alight at his NASS accommodation in Bristol. He died the following day in Frenchay hospital.

††† * Ramazan Kumluca, (19), 27/6/05, a Kurdish asylum seeker from Turkey who was found hanged in Campsfield House removal centre in Oxford. He had been detained for five months and was said to be depressed after a bail application was rejected for the third time.

††† * Kenny Peter, 7/11/04, a Nigerian asylum seeker who died in Charing Cross hospital, nearly three weeks after sustaining injuries during an apparent self-harm attempt at Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre. It is believed that on 19 October, Kenny jumped from a landing and sustained serious injuries, from which he later died.

††† * John Kanau Manana, (24), 15/10/04, a Kenyan who was found hanged from a ligature in his cell at Leicester prison on 15 October at 3.55. Paramedics were called and attempted resuscitation and he was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4.50.

††† * Majid Rafieei, 14/10/04, a destitute Iraqi asylum seeker who was found hanged at his Sheffield home after his asylum claim was refused.

††† * Ceife Yimene, (24), 26/9/04, an Ethiopian asylum seeker who left a hospital where he had been seeking help and hanged himself. Ceife was living in emergency accommodation in Newcastle while his asylum claim was being processed. He became very depressed in the weeks leading up to his death. On the day of his death his friends were so concerned about his health that they took him to the Accident and Emergency department of Newcastle General Infirmary. After seven hours he was reportedly in a 'catatonic' state and when he was eventually seen by a Doctor he was told, 'If you won't speak then we can't help'. Ceife left the hospital and hanged himself from a tree. (IRR News story: Did undue pressure on an asylum seeker lead to his suicide? )

††† * Ako Mahmood Ahmed, (25), 8/04, a Kurdish asylum seeker who died after jumping from a bridge at a Coventry shopping centre. He arrived in the UK in May 2004 and was 'dispersed' to Coventry in June. His asylum claim was rejected and he lodged an appeal. However, because of new legal aid limits, Ako was unable to find a solicitor to act for him despite help from Coventry Refugee Centre. As a result, he was faced with destitution on the streets of Britain and the prospect of deportation to Iraq. (IRR News story: Desperate asylum seeker takes own life)

††† * Tran Quang Tung, (23), 23/7/04, a Vietnamese man who was found hanged in Dungavel removal centre in Scotland just days after being transferred from Harmondsworth removal centre after the disturbance.

††† * Sergey Barnuyck, (31), 19/7/04, a Ukrainian who was found hanged in Harmondsworth detention centre. His death sparked a night of disturbances at the centre and led to all of the detainees being transferred to prisons and other detention centres.

††† * Hussein Nasseri, (26), 25/6/04, an Iranian asylum seeker who was found with a gunshot wound two weeks after his asylum claim was refused. Hussein, who was homosexual, fled Iran in March 2000 after being imprisoned for three months for his sexuality. He feared being executed if he was returned to Iran - where homosexuality is a 'crime' punishable by death. In June 2004, he received a letter telling him that his asylum claim had been refused. The inquest recorded a verdict of suicide. (IRR News story: Inquest finds asylum refusal was motive for gay Iranian's suicide)

††† * Zekria Ghulam Mohammed, (27), 18/05/04, an Afghan asylum seeker who was found hanged at his flat in the Dennistoun area of Glasgow. Zekria had been living in Scotland for four years and prior to his death his asylum claim had been refused and benefits stopped. He was also facing eviction from accommodation provided by NASS. Zekria, who trained as a dentist in Afghanistan, 'was ashamed and broken. He felt there was no hope left', according to his friends.

†††* Kabeya Dimuka-bijoux from DR Congo, 01/05/2004 collapsed and died whilst exercising in the gym at Haslar IRC, Post mortem states cause of death 'undetermined'.

††† * Unnamed man, 2004, an Iraqi asylum seeker who set himself alight in London. He had a history of mental health problems and was scared he would be returned to Iraq.

††† * Liang He, (23), 10/11/03, who was found hanged at Bedford prison.

††† * Mohammed bin Duhri, (20), 20/10/03, a Palestinian asylum seeker who was found hanged at Belmarsh maximum-security prison. He had been held at Dover Immigration Removal Centre but, after he allegedly assaulted a guard, he was moved to Belmarsh. Three prison officers were suspended for filing reports saying, after the death, that he was still alive.

††† * Tema Kombe, (32), 4/9/03, a Ugandan asylum seeker who was found hanged in a toilet in the psychiatric ward at Heatherwood hospital, Ascot, after being detained under the Mental Health Act. The inquest returned a verdict of misadventure after hearing that he had made three previous attempts on his life.

††† * Israfil Shiri, (30), 3/9/03, a destitute Iranian asylum seeker who died six days after pouring petrol over his body and setting himself alight in the offices of Refugee Action in Manchester. His asylum application had been rejected and he was homeless and penniless. Israfil, who was gay, feared being executed in Iran if he was deported. He also suffered from a painful bowel complaint but, after his asylum claim was refused, he was unable to get medical treatment and was in constant pain. An open verdict was recorded by the inquest. (IRR News story: Open verdict on death of asylum seeker who slept in a wheelie bin)

††† * Vasiliy Todchuk, (24), 9/03, a Russian national who had deserted from the Russian army in Chechnya, was found hanged on a building site in Govan, Glasgow. He had been detained in Polmont YOI on criminal charges in early 2003 and attempted suicide on the day before his release. Several weeks before his death he had been advised that he would be deported.

††† * Olga Blaskevica (29) from Latvia, detained in Harmondsworth IRC, murdered by her husband on the 7th May 2003

††† * Liu Jin Wu, (35), 5/5/03, a Chinese asylum seeker who took his own life while on remand at HMP Barlinnie in Scotland. It emerged during a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) that he was a Mandarin speaker who only had access to an interpreter three times during his ten weeks in the prison. He was on remand for two counts of attempted murder and during police interviews had told them that he was hearing voices; a provisional diagnosis of paranoid psychosis was made. He had been told he faced deportation regardless of what happened during the criminal proceedings as his asylum claim had been refused. The Inquiry was also told staff failed to check on him hourly as was required when he was found to be suicidal. But the FAI concluded that his suicide was due to mental health problems rather than any failure by the prison authorities.

††† * Mikhail Bognarchuk, (42), 31/1/03, a Ukrainian asylum seeker who was found hanged at Haslar removal centre.

††† * Sirous Khajeh, (29), 24/12/02, an Iranian asylum seeker who was found hanged at his home in Huddersfield. He was a torture victim who had been told that his asylum claim had been rejected and he faced eviction from his home and deportation. However, this information was incorrect and Sirous had in fact been granted asylum. A Yorkshire coroner recorded a verdict of suicide and was critical of the Home Office's handling of his application.

††† * Beverley Fowler, (32), 2/10/02, a Jamaican woman who was found hanged two days before the end of her sentence in Durham prison. She was a mother of three who was due to be deported back to Jamaica after serving a sentence for drug smuggling. In September 2003, an inquest recorded an open verdict. The inquest was told she feared for her safety in Kingston because the man who forced her into drug smuggling had murdered her partner.

††† * Sophia Kamau 22/10/2007 a Kenyan women, who told friends she was on the run from criminals in that country after uncovering a money laundering operation at a bank where she worked. Her initial bid for asylum was turned down and she was preparing an appeal when she hanged herself at her Wigan home.

††† * Forsina Makoni, (79), 11/5/02, an elderly Zimbabwean woman who died after setting herself alight in Gillingham after her claim for political asylum was refused. She had been a vocal opponent of Robert Mugabe's regime and became depressed in the weeks before her death after her claim was refused.
 
††† * Shiraz Pir, (25), 7/5/02, a Pakistani asylum seeker who died five days after being found hanging in his Bristol home after his asylum claim was rejected. Facing deportation, he could not understand why friends had been given refugee status and he had been denied. He left a note asking that his body be returned to his parents. An inquest recorded a verdict of suicide whilst the balance of his mind was temporarily disturbed. The coroner criticized the Home Office for the delay with his asylum application.

††† * Mohsen Amri, (27), 12/3/02, an Iranian asylum seeker who committed suicide at his home in Handsworth, Birmingham, after having a work permit refused and asylum application rejected. He had been in the UK for two years and made repeated requests for work permits (he did not want to work illegally). His asylum application had been refused on a technicality.

††† * Nariman Tahamasbi, (27), 25/2/02, an Iranian asylum seeker who was found hanged in Lewes prison. He had been refused asylum in the UK and fearful of being deported back to Iran, he attempted to flee to Canada using the same forged travel documents that had brought him to the UK. He was arrested at Gatwick airport, charged over false documents and sentenced to six months imprisonment. Less than a week after arriving in the prison he hanged himself from the bars of his cell with a bedsheet and died in hospital five days later without regaining consciousness. A jury returned a verdict of death by misadventure following a three-day inquest into the death in may 2005. (IRR News story: Asylum death deemed misadventure)

††† * Souleyman Diallo, (28), 1/1/02, a Guinean asylum seeker who committed suicide by jumping 100 feet off Redheugh Bridge, Tyneside, a few weeks after being told he was to be deported to Guinea. Souleyman, who spoke little English, was dispersed to Gateshead soon after he arrived in July 2000 and was not provided with any translation services. He felt that the interpreter at his appeal hearing had misinterpreted him. His solicitor commented that his 'inability to access competent legal advice, difficulties in communicating his case and tight deadlines for submission statements have contributed to his case being properly heard'. She made a complaint to the Immigration Commissioners about his death. The coroner recorded an open verdict.

††† * Nasser Ahmed, (35), 21/8/01, an Eritrean asylum seeker who was found hanged at his flat in Nelson, Lancashire shortly after his asylum claim was rejected.

††† * Shokrolah 'Ramin' Khaleghi, (27), 18/1/01, an Iranian asylum seeker, dispersed to Leicester, who was found dead in the International Hotel, a hostel for asylum seekers, after his asylum claim was rejected. He had been a political prisoner in Iran, jailed for six years and tortured for refusing to serve in the Iranian army and affronting fundamentalist beliefs by shaving his facial hair. He took an overdose one week after learning that his asylum claim had been rejected.

††† * Saeed Alaei, (26), 21/12/00, an Iranian asylum seeker, dispersed to Nelson, Lancashire, who was found hanged after his asylum claim was rejected.

††† * Glynnis Cowley, (40), 4/00, a South African mother of three who committed suicide in Liverpool after her asylum claim was refused. She had been arrested Heathrow in June 1999 after being found in possession of cannabis and sentenced eight months. She alleged that she had been kidnapped and forced to act as drugs courier. While in Holloway prison her asylum claim was refused and after her release she launched an appeal but took her life before it was heard.

††† * Robertas Grabys, 24/01/00, a Lithuanian asylum seeker who was found hanged in Harmondsworth detention centre on the day he was due to be deported. A report into his death criticised the private company that was in charge of Harmondsworth at the time.

††† * Kimpua Nsimba, 24, 15/06/90, Pr, Zairean asylum-seeker found hanged in Harmondsworth detention centre; no-one had spoken to him in over 4 days,

††† * Siho Iyiguveni, 26, 08/10/89, He and another Turk barricaded (5 October 1989) themselves in a bedroom in Harmondsworth detention centre and set light to bedding, died from injuries sustained.

Source for this page:
Institute of Race Relations (IRR)
NCADC