image
Deteriorating conditions in police cell, Nauru

Amnesty International Australia is concerned about reports that all 82 Sri Lankan detainees on Nauru will be locked down in the centre, after an incident in which 6 detainees were charged. The situation further highlights the need for an independent body to ensure transparency and accountability in the ongoing detention of those detained.

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) recently investigated conditions in detention centres throughout Australia, yet despite the significant number of individuals detained on Nauru, a request to visit has been denied.

Asylum seekers taken to Nauru are the responsibility of the Australian government, but it cannot guarantee the human rights of those taken to Nauru unless it allows Australia's independent statutory human rights organisation to visit.

Australia funds the International Organisation for Migration to manage the facilities and at the same time Australian Department of Immigration officials are processing their asylum applications. Given that Australia is funding the detention of those on Nauru these individuals are entitled to the same level of respect for their human rights as individuals in Australia.

Amnesty International has previously expressed its concerns with the lack of access for lawyers, friends, family, religious clergy and members of their community for those detained on Nauru. Without this access the Australian public cannot be confident that those on Nauru are being treated with the dignity and respect to which they are entitled.

Australia has a fully functioning refugee status determination procedure onshore. Ultimately the Australia government should acknowledge there is no need for such an expensive offshore system which lacks transparency, has proven to be harmful to the mental health of those detained and undermines Australia's international human rights reputation.