Fernandez believes the men recently deported may have preferred to return to Sri Lanka.

"If people choose to go back where they were persecuted over Nauru, (this) means that they are ready die rather (than) getting rotten somewhere, not able to seek freedom," he told CNN.

"It is not a win for the Australian government and the government must be ashamed for creating a rigid refugee policy which persecutes asylum seekers once again," he added.

For Fernandez, the Australian government has blood on its hands.

For Amnesty International, it will come as no surprise that Sri Lankans are opting to return home or putting up little resistance. The human rights group noted after its inspection of Nauru, that asylum seekers believed they were being sent to the island state to be "driven crazy" and would prefer to return home.