A young Iranian refugee who spent more than three years on Manus Island has been forcibly returned to Papua New Guinea after being intercepted by police on the way to submit his claim for asylum in Fiji.
His lawyer said the 21-year-old refugee was bundled out of the car taking him to meet with Fiji's head of immigration and rushed at speed to the Nadi airport early on Friday morning.
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A refugee has made a desperate plea for asylum after fleeing Manus Island.
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We want freedom
A refugee has made a desperate plea for asylum after fleeing Manus Island.
"There is no humanity in the world," a devastated Loghman Sawari told trauma worker Janet Galbraith after boarding a flight bound for Port Moresby.
"He had two security guards either side of him and he told me that he had been punched hard by a local Fijian man in the airport," Ms Galbraith told Fairfax Media.
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"Having spoken with Loghman many times since he arrived in Fiji I believe that this is the end for him. He is unable to survive any longer in this brutal and abusive system.
"His emotional and mental health have been fragile for a long time and none more so than now."
Mr Sawari flew to Fiji under a false name last week, telling Fairfax Media it was his final attempt to be free. "If I go back (to PNG) they will make me crazy or they put me in the jail. I'm sure about that," he said.
"My problem is I cannot go back to Iran and I can't stay in PNG. I don't want to go to Australia. I just want to be free, just like human being."
Lawyer Aman Ravindra-Singh said he had an agreement with Fiji's director of immigration, Nemani Vuniwaqa, for Mr Sawari to lodge his application for asylum on Friday. Mr Sawari had wanted to present earlier, but Mr Ravinda-Singh said he had made the arrangement on Tuesday to give him time to gather all the relevant documents.
"I'm absolutely disgusted at the behaviour of the Fiji government and their lack of respect for human rights and their whole arbitrary action," he said.
Like Australia and PNG, Fiji is a signatory to the refugee convention
The Ahwazi Arab's time in PNG has been punctuated by beatings, bullying, imprisonment, illness, suicide attempts and living on the street in Lae, one of the country's most dangerous cities. Ms Galbraith says he is in no psychological state to return.
He is unable to survive any longer in this brutal and abusive system
"I appeal to any country who will uphold the most basic of human rights to reach out to Loghman and provide this young man with a safe place to be."
The director of Fiji's Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission, Ashwin Raj, had vowed to support Mr Sawari and was shocked at the forced deportation. He was seeking an urgent meeting with Fiji's Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, when contacted by Fairfax Media.
Mr Ravinda-Singh said Mr Sawari was in a "very, very horrible state" because of the aggression used to remove him.
"He could have walked to the vehicle. He's been through a lot. The way they did things, it was almost like special forces jumping out of nowhere, making the whole atmosphere so aggressive," he said.
"It was totally uncalled for. Serious criminals walk free in this country whereas asylum seekers, genuine refugees, are treated like criminals."
Mr Ravinda-Singh said police waved a letter in front of him but sped off at "breakneck speed" with Mr Sawari before he could read it. "I'm in utter shock," he said.
"Loghman is a young man who fled persecution in Iran. He has been found to be a refugee. Australia didn't respect his rights, and now Fiji is failing to do so. He came to Fiji seeking protection," said Kate Schuetze, Amnesty International's Pacific Researcher.
Mr Sawari was just 17 when he arrived on Manus Island in August 2013.
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