Lankan refused asylum in UK dies in Africa

A Sri Lankan man who was refused asylum in the United Kingdom died in Eswatini after being transferred there from Britain, reportedly a week before his visa had expired, according to the Tamil Guardian. The 36-year-old individual, referred to only as KP under a court anonymity order, passed away on September 13 at a guesthouse in Eswatini.

He had previously attempted to take his own life multiple times during his time in British custody. In October 2021, KP was rescued by the Royal Navy after his fishing vessel encountered trouble near Diego Garcia, a British Indian Ocean Territory island home to a joint United Kingdom and United States military base. He was among a group of Tamils held in a fenced tent camp on the island for several years.

The territory granted him international protection in 2024, preventing his return to Sri Lanka. Despite this, Britain denied him entry due to criminal convictions, including sexual assault, assault on a security officer, and arson related to a self-immolation attempt. A British court upheld this exclusion in 2025, citing public safety concerns.

KP spent eight months in a laundry room on the island and two weeks in a police cell without natural light. The United Nations refugee agency expressed deep concern over his conditions. Following suicide attempts, he was medically evacuated to Bahrain in 2024, then moved to the Maldives, and about a month before his death, to Eswatini, reportedly as part of an arrangement between the British government and Eswatini for permanent resettlement.