Australian Man Who Committed Suicide in Immigration Office Ran Illegal Workshop

Ngurah Rai Immigration has disclosed the reason for the detention of Australian national Cameron Hughes (39) prior to his death on Friday (10 July 2026). The man had violated immigration regulations by abusing his residence permit and overstaying by 98 days.

“The Ngurah Rai Immigration Office received a report from the public regarding a foreign national carrying out activities inconsistent with his residence permit,” said the Head of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, Bugie Kurniawan, at a press conference at the Denpasar Police Headquarters on Thursday (16 July 2026).

Cameron was reported by his former wife, an Indonesian national with the initials NKIY, over the immigration violation. His residence permit was known to have expired on 4 April 2026.

In follow-up to the report, Immigration officers visited the address of the workshop owned by the victim in Jimbaran, Badung Regency. However, as they were unable to meet him, Immigration sent a summons letter for clarification on 15 April 2026.

Cameron attended the Immigration Office on 17 April 2026, and the examination showed that the man had overstayed and was operating a workshop named HRB without a licence.

“The results of the examination showed that the individual concerned took part in operations, managing the HRB (workshop) without an appropriate residence permit,” Bugie added.

Subsequently, Immigration periodically requested the victim to come to the Immigration Office to arrange his deportation documents. However, after being summoned five times up to 30 June 2026, the man ignored the invitations.

He eventually came in on 2 July 2026 to arrange a flight schedule, but fled without notice midway through the discussion. After repeatedly being asked to return to the office, Immigration officers picked him up from his residence on 10 July 2026.

“On that day the individual concerned had overstayed for 98 days, and the team then collected him from his residence,” he said.

He was detained on the same day, until the day he took his own life.

Cameron ended his life by tying a towel around his neck in the bathroom of the immigration detention room. When checked by officers, the man was still breathing and was rushed to Jimbaran General Hospital. However, upon arrival at the hospital, he was pronounced dead.