Inquest into the Death of Fazel CHEGENI NEJAD

34y · Male·ligature compression of the neck

Fazel Chegeni Nejad, a 34-year-old Iranian asylum seeker, died from ligature compression of the neck in the jungle near Christmas Island immigration detention centre on 8 November 2015. He had spent 1,477 days in detention and experienced progressive mental health deterioration characterised by depression, anxiety, and psychotic-like symptoms attributed primarily to prolonged detention. Critical failures included: inexperienced control room staff failing to recognise his escape alarm, lack of continuity of psychiatric care across facility transfers, absence of face-to-face psychiatric assessment at Christmas Island, and prioritisation of security over clinical needs when transferring him despite documented mental health crisis. Expert evidence confirmed prolonged indefinite detention reliably causes mental health harm. Coroner recommended fortnightly on-site psychiatrist at Christmas Island and increased mental health staffing.