Human Rights for All

ABN: 62615699771
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Minister of Home Affairs

Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs
IHMS Corporate

Via email:
minister@homeaffairs.gov.au
immigration.minister@homeaffairs.gov.au
corporateaffairs@ihms.com.au

31 March 2020

Mr Mostafa AZIMITABAR (DOB: 24 March 1986)

Dear Ministers and IHMS

I represent Mr Azimitabar. I refer to my letter to you dated 25 March 2020, to which

I have not received a response.

As previously detailed, Mr Azimitabar has had a persistent cough for the past five
years, sometimes with associated chest pain. Due to problems with medical care, he has not
been diagnosed. It is likely, however, that Mr Azimitabar has asthma or some other
respiratory illness. This places him in the high risk category for contracting, and then
suffering severe consequences from, COVID-19.

IHMS has acknowledged Mr Azimitabar’s symptoms and has prescribed him two
puffers. First, Symbicort, which is used to control and prevent the symptoms of asthma and
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease including chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Secondly, a blue, short-acting reliever inhaler which relaxes the airways to make it easier for
Mr Azimitabar to breath.

Mr Azimitabar is currently detained in Mantra Hotel Alternative Place of Detention

(Mantra APOD). As I’m sure you are aware, there are concerns regarding the ability to stop
the spread of COVD-19 at Mantra APOD. There are a number of contractors coming and
going, without protective gear. Further, the lift is shared with the public, and there are
approximately 70 men on the one floor without the ability to physically isolate.

Finally, the Government has stopped any access to outdoor areas for Mr Azimitabar.
There is no access to fresh air. Being in such a closed space, with scores of other men,
appears to be exacerbating Mr Azimitabar’s breathing difficulties.

There is public footage of Mr Azimitabar coughing and struggling to breathe, see –

https://twitter.com/Craig_Foster/status/1242380808926547973 and
https://twitter.com/Craig_Foster/status/1242336131561095168. We also have also been in
contact with Government contractors who worked on Manus Island and confirm they
remember Mr Azimitabar coughing since at least September 2015.

Given the risk of COVID-19 to people in detention centres (as acknowledged by the
Government’s own advisory bodies), it is requested that Mr Azimitabar is permitted to live in

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 Human Rights for All

ABN: 62615699771
www.facebook.com/humanrights4allaus
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the community for the duration of the pandemic. Mr Craig Foster has kindly offered to
accommodation Mr Azimitabar during this period. Moving Mr Azimitabar to another
detention centre or APOD will not solve issues related to his vulnerability to COVID-19, and
will impact his mental health (which is already poor).

I look forward to receiving a response to this letter by 4pm Friday 3 April 2020. If a
satisfactory response is not received, I will make this letter public.

Regards

Alison Battisson
Director Principal
Solicitor & Registered Migration Agent
Human Rights for All Pty Ltd
MARN: 1790352

M: +61(0)400635110
E: alison.battisson@hr4a.com.au
W: www.humanrightsforall.com.au
PO Box 391
Lindfield NSW 2070
Australia

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