A Detainee on Nauru Has Set Himself on Fire in Front of UN Officials

A 23-year-old Iranian detainee has set himself on fire in front of UN officials on Nauru, in what local police are calling a "political protest." A video of the immolation, obtained by Fairfax, shows him encircled by onlookers as he shouts, "This action will prove how exhausted we are… I cannot take it anymore."

The man—identified by The Guardian as Omid, an officially recognised refugee—then pours a 20 litre can of petrol over his head, and sets himself alight to the horror of onlookers.

Immigration minister Peter Dutton confirmed the incident to reporters today, noting the man's outlook was not good and that he would be airlifted from Nauru for medical attention tonight.

However, the minister was typically quick to note that, "If people think that through action of self-harm or harming a member of their family is going to result in them coming to Australia and staying here permanently, that will not be the outcome."

A detainee protest on Nauru has entered its 39th day, with up to four refugees having already attempted suicide by swallowing washing powder. In February, the Nauruan Government decided it would arrest and charge asylum seekers who attempted suicide in an effort to stamp out the practice.

Omid allegedly met with representatives from the UNHCR earlier in the day, and spoke to them about "the intolerable mental and physical pressure on refugees and particularly on himself, who [is] imprisoned at Nauru."

Further video obtained by Fairfax, but not published, allegedly shows Omid being treated for severe burns by a clearly distressed nurse, who is vomiting into a bucket.

The protest comes just a day after the Papua New Guinean Supreme Court ruled the imprisonment of all refugees on Manus Island illigal and called for the Australian Government to end offshore detention.

When VICE asked for a possible timeline on shutting down Manus Island, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton responded with the following statement:

"[PNG's ruling] does not alter Australia's border protection policies – they remain unchanged. No one who attempts to travel to Australia illegally by boat will settle in Australia… The Government will not allow a return to the chaos of the years of the Rudd-Gillard Labor Governments when regional processing was initiated to deal with the overwhelming illegal arrivals of more than 50,000 people."

More as this story develops.

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