PRESS CONFERENCE
Shoichi Ibusuki and Chie Komai, Attorneys at law supporting Ms. Wishma's family
Heydar Safari Diman, Iranian refugee applicant

11:00-12:00 Thursday, April 27, 2023
(The speech and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation)


The Death that Shook Japan: Wishma Rathnayake

Since she died in 2021 at the age of 33 while in detention in Nagoya Regional Immigration Services Bureau, Wishma Sandamali has become synonymous with claims of abusive practices by immigration officials. As her family's legal team continues to question the accountability of the authorities, disturbing evidence has emerged of Wishma's treatment, including footage one official saying to her: "Don't worry, you won't die. If you die, it will be troublesome." 

Wishma was caught up between an abusive Sri Lankan partner, who threatened to track her down and punish her, and authorities who did not understand the seriousness of her claims of domestic violence nor adequately take care of her health while continuing to dismiss her appeals for provisional release. During the seven months she spent in detention, Wishma's health deteriorated and she had lost 20 kilograms by the time she died. A report conducted in August 2021 by Japan's Immigration Services Agency concluded that the Nagoya Bureau had failed to provide Wishma proper medical care. On April 6th, Wishma's legal team showed extracts from security footage showing her bedridden and begging immigration officers to immediately take her to hospital. 

Wishma was the 27th person to die in detention at a Japanese immigration facility since 1997. Her sisters have since been fighting to expose a system that leaves detainees wasting away for years without limits on detention periods or judicial checks. At the time of Wishma's death, Japanese lawmakers had been debating whether to pass a bill that would deport asylum seekers after two failed bids. The government, which was forced to withdraw the controversial bill two months after Wishma's death, has resubmitted it in the current Diet. To this day, Japan's rate to grant asylum to applicants remains at an extremely low figure of about 2 percent. 

Iranian asylum seeker Safari Diman Heydar joins Wishma's lawyers in accusing the Japanese immigration system of being in breach of international human rights. Heydar (53) was re-detained in 2019 after his request for extension of a provisional release following long-term detention was denied. He and the lawyers will discuss their cases and the prospects for reform of Japan's system for dealing with overstayers and asylum seekers. 

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Professional Activities Committee