UN condemns Australia's indefinite detention of refugees as 'inhumane'

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Australian Associated Press

UN condemns Australia's indefinite detention of refugees as 'inhumane'

46 refugees held for security reasons should be released and given compensation, says UN human rights committee

Australian Associated Press
the guardian.com, Thursday 22 August 2013 03.37 EDT

Australia's indefinite detention of 46 refugees on security grounds has been condemned by the United Nations human rights committee as "cruel, inhumane and degrading".

The Geneva-based body has urged the release of the 42 Tamils from Sri Lanka, three Rohingya from Myanmar and a Kuwaiti.

"Australia's indefinite detention of 46 recognised refugees on security grounds amounted to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, inflicting serious psychological harm on them," the committee said in a statement.

The refugees brought their complaints to the human rights committee, arguing they were unable to challenge the legality of their detention in Australian courts.





Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/22/un-refugees-australia-detention-inhumane

[JRLeft]

1. We taught them.

[newfie11]

2. I was just thinking what about America

Anyone mention how inhumane we are?

[dipsydoodle]

3. They seem to be on Christmas Island

What I can't make out is if they are simply on the island or under detention there.

[soaky]

4. In detention

There's a massive detention centre on Christmas Island.

[Ilesian_60]

5. People Smuggling

Yes...they are under detention, and rightfully so.
These people are, predominantly, not refugees.
Predominantly corrupt officials, criminals and overt subversives...

The cost of this trip is in excess of USD60,000
They fly to Indonesia, are consolidated by the boat load and shipped off...
This is organized people smuggling and the act of detaining for processing is warranted....

I

[soaky]

6. 90% of 'boat people' are found to be genuine refugees

If you want people smuggling to stop, how about doing something to stop the reasons why they need to flee their homes in the first place?