March 3, 2007
Issue
After an epileptic seizure on December 15, Sharif Assad, a Syrian being held in Sydney's Villawood immigration detention centre, was transferred to Bankstown hospital against his will and tied to a bed.
Assad says he tried to get the security guards to loosen the ties on his arms and legs, but they refused. Even the nurses refused to relieve his suffering. He was left tied to the bed for six days. He is still suffering epileptic seizures, with their intensity increasing.
An independent psychologist from the Transcultural Mental Health Services who visited Assad last year recommended his release from Villawood as the only way to stop his mental health deteriorating, but the government is refusing to act on these recommendations.