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Australia: Anti-terrorism Bill imposes dangerous new Australian slang for ‘secret detention’

29 October 2005, 03:52PM

"I am safe, but unable to be contacted for the time being" may become unofficial code for saying the words the new laws dare not allow to be uttered - "I am being held in secret police detention without charge".

According to advice from criminal law barrister, Stephen Robson, commissioned by Amnesty International Australia, under new anti-terror laws that the Federal Government intends to introduce to the parliament early next week, a dangerous new precedent may be introduced into Australia - secret detention.

The new anti-terror laws allow the Australian Federal Police to detain people - who are not suspected of having committed a crime - for up to 14 days without charge or trial with the cooperation of the States and Territories. To compound this intrusion on an individual's rights, the detainee will not be allowed to let anyone - other than their lawyer - know that they have been taken into custody.

"All a detainee can say to a family member, friend or employer when they disappear off the face of the earth for two weeks is I am safe, but unable to be contacted for the time being" said Amnesty International Australia Human Rights and Security Campaign Coordinator Katie Wood.

"Amnesty International is seriously concerned that the preventative detention regime proposed will allow police to imprison citizens without charge or trial on little more than a feeling that a person may have some knowledge of or involvement in a terrorist act.

"While we support the concern and actions of all Australian governments to keep their citizens safe - this can not be at the cost of human and civil rights which ensure our way of life. Preventative detention orders are detention without charge. This is unprecedented in Australian law and prohibited by international law" concluded Ms Wood.

The legal advice by criminal law barrister, Stephen Robson has been commissioned by Amnesty International Australia and is available at www.amnesty.org.au

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