Nauru Confirms Man Dead
Media Release - DPS 63/2002
Nauru authorities have confirmed that a 28 year old Afghan male had died suddenly in the Topside asylum seeker processing centre on the island on Monday morning.
A post-mortem of the man by Nauruan authorities, with the International Organization for Migration, which manages the centres on Nauru, in attendance, concluded the man had died of natural causes.
There were no suspicious circumstances. This included no evidence of self harm or contagious disease.
IOM has advised the man awoke in distress early on Monday morning. His nearby friends had alerted IOM staff who had attended immediately. The man died soon after.
The man was seeking a review of the decision by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to refuse him asylum.
IOM is seeking to contact next-of-kin in Afghanistan.
Burial arrangements are underway.
28 August 2002
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