Key Points
- After spending nine years in immigration detention, Amin Afravi often felt like it was him against the world.
- That was until he met his lawyers who he says were key in his release and paid his thanks with special gifts in tow.
After spending nine years in Australian immigration detention, Amin Afravi often felt like it was him against the world.
That was until he met his two lawyers - who he says were instrumental in his eventual release from detention in May this year - and the only people in Australia he can trust with his life.
Three months after his release, Amin flew from Brisbane to Sydney to meet the people he has attributed to his freedom to pay his special thanks - and with secret gifts in tow.
His solicitors Daniel Taylor and Noeline Harendran, who have represented him since 2020 on a pro bono basis, said that meeting Amin was "the highlight of our lives".
But it was an especially heartfelt moment for Daniel and Noeline when they were surprised with personalised trophies from Amin after they finished lunch.
Lawyers Noeline and Daniel were surprised with personalised trophies from their client Amin. Source: Supplied / Amin Afravi
For Amin, he said his gift to them was a small gesture to show his appreciation for how they cared for him during his time in detention - what he describes as "prison".
"The reality is when I talked to [Daniel and Noeline] they are not treating me as a client. They are treating me as a friend," he said.
"This is the first time in these nine years I actually spoke with lawyers that they treated me like a human being."
Amin gifted the trophies to his lawyers over lunch in Sydney, where he travelled specially to meet and surprise them. Source: Supplied / Amin Afravi
In 2013, he fled by boat to Australia after fearing for his safety and was placed on Christmas Island, followed by Manus Island. In 2014, a day after , Amin's throat was slit in a riot between guards and detainees.
After having a series of other medical complications, he was flown to Brisbane under the repealed medevac legislation in 2019 and detained in Brisbane Immigration Transit Accommodation.
Amin was one of the dozens of asylum seekers and refugees who were released from immigration detention and granted temporary bridging visas just before the 2022 federal election.
Amin was detained in immigration detention for nine years before he was released this year prior to the federal election in May. Source: Supplied / Amin Afravi
'Best reward'
Daniel Taylor, principal of Sydney West Legal and Migration, said Amin's case was "exemplary" of the "dehumanising" experiences faced by asylum seekers and refugees around the world.
"This was a very, very grave breach of human rights, and [Amin's] fortitude in the face of that is quite remarkable," he said.
Daniel described meeting Amin and receiving the trophy as "the best reward" for the human rights work he and his team do free of charge.
I have never felt as loved as I did feel from someone who I've had the honour of representing ... it was amazing, to be honest. Unreal.Noeline Harendran
Noeline, who has worked alongside Daniel on Amin's legal matters, was speechless by Amin's generosity.
"I have never felt as loved as I did feel from someone who I've had the honour of representing ... it was amazing, to be honest. Unreal," she said.
"We've been doing this and we've kind of forgotten what it feels like to be appreciated and loved and being in the building today and meeting him has been, to be honest, the highlight of our lives."
For Amin, his gift was a small gesture of appreciation that he said is incomparable to what his lawyers have done for him.
"I'm not the person to just give my back on people who have actually done something for me. So I will appreciate that for the rest of my life," he said.
"They're the only people that I can trust in Australia. I can trust them with my life.
"I believe if they were not there for me, I would be detained until now."
