Sri Lankan refugee held by Australia found dead

A Sri Lankan refugee who was being detained by Australia in Papua New Guinea was found dead on Monday in a hospital, the media reported.

The body was found in the Lorengau General Hospital earlier on Monday, Manus Island Police Commander David Yapu told the BBC.

The Tamil man, 32, died in a suspected suicide after receiving treatment for mental illness, refugee advocates said.

Australia controversially holds refugees and asylum seekers who arrive by boat in centres on Manus Island and the Pacific nation of Nauru.

Nine detainees have died since 2013 - including six at the Manus centre, which is due to close on October 31.

Last month, the US accepted the first of up to 1,250 refugees under a resettlement deal.

--IANS

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