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2022 March 2 - 8 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

JCP Yamazoe attends memorial service for Sri Lankan woman who died in custody at immigration center

A memorial rally for a Sri Lankan woman who died a year ago at an immigration detention center took place on March 6 in front of the Tokyo Immigration Services Agency’s building, and Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Yamazoe Taku attended the event.

Two civil groups cohosted the first-year service in memory of Wishma Sandamali who died unattended at the age of early 30s at the Nagoya immigration control center.

Yamazoe said, "The immigration authorities continue to handle her case sloppily even in writing up a report regarding her death. Still now, they have not disclosed all the video footage of Wishma before her death. Although she was for the most part bedridden, she was not taken to hospital to have proper medical attention. I cannot help feeling anger and resentment. I believe that both the Immigration Control Act and refugee-status recognition procedures should be drastically amended in order to meet international standards."

Regarding her death, JCP member of the House of Representatives Motomura Nobuko at a Lower House Judicial Affairs Committee meeting on March 1 demanded that security camera footage at immigration detention facilities be stored for longer periods.

Motomura pointed out that the video footage of the last two weeks before the death of Wishma, which was finally disclosed late last year, shows that Wishma could no longer move her lower body. Motomura said, "When detainees are in poor health, they should be able to receive proper care at an outside medical facility."

Justice Minister Furukawa Yoshihisa responded by saying, "We will try to prevent such an occurrence."

Past related article:
> 3 opposition parties agree to demand holding of Diet committee meetings over Sri Lankan woman's death at immigration control center [August 12, 2021]