29 Nov 2018 10:38

Russian held in U.S. detention center dies - Russian embassy

MOSCOW. Nov 29 (Interfax) - A Russian citizen has died in the city of Tacoma in the state of Washington, the Russian embassy to the United States said.

"The embassy has been informed about the death of Russian citizen M.D. Amar held [at the Northwest Detention Center]. According to the American authorities, the Russian died at the St. Joseph Medical Center in the city of Tacoma, the state of Washington," the Russian diplomatic mission wrote on its Facebook page.

"The embassy is now looking into the circumstances and cause of Amar's death. His relatives who live in Russia have been informed of his death," the embassy said.

According to some U.S. media outlets, Mergensana Amar tried to illegally enter the U.S. last year, but was detained on the border and sent to Tacoma's center where illegal immigrants are held. A local court later ruled to deport him from the country, but the Russian went on hunger strike in protest.

According to the media reports, Amar tried to commit suicide in mid-November. Doctors battled to save his life for more than a week. A decision to remove his life support was made then.

The official cause of the Russian citizen's death is hypoxic brain injury as a result of asphyxia, the media said.