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| Australia’s refugee stance sets ‘alarming global precedent’ | Australia’s refugee stance sets ‘alarming global precedent’ |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Australia is engaging in “unlawful and increasingly punitive” treatment of asylum seekers, an Australian legal group will tell the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. | Australia is engaging in “unlawful and increasingly punitive” treatment of asylum seekers, an Australian legal group will tell the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. |
| In a scathing statement to be read out to the UN’s premier human rights body on Tuesday night, the Melbourne-based Human Rights Law Centre will call on the council to condemn the “alarming global precedent” set by Australia’s stance towards refugees who arrive by boat. | In a scathing statement to be read out to the UN’s premier human rights body on Tuesday night, the Melbourne-based Human Rights Law Centre will call on the council to condemn the “alarming global precedent” set by Australia’s stance towards refugees who arrive by boat. |
| The HRLC will highlight how asylum seekers are being “subjected to arbitrary, indefinite detention” in inadequate conditions on Nauru and Manus Island based on their mode of arrival, contrary to the Refugee Convention, of which Australia is a signatory. | The HRLC will highlight how asylum seekers are being “subjected to arbitrary, indefinite detention” in inadequate conditions on Nauru and Manus Island based on their mode of arrival, contrary to the Refugee Convention, of which Australia is a signatory. |
| The statement also criticises the new Coalition government’s policies of towing back boats to their origin, abolishing the right to appeal negative refugee assessments to an independent tribunal and the withdrawal of publicly-funded legal assistance for asylum seekers. | The statement also criticises the new Coalition government’s policies of towing back boats to their origin, abolishing the right to appeal negative refugee assessments to an independent tribunal and the withdrawal of publicly-funded legal assistance for asylum seekers. |
| These policies “increase the risk of refugees being delivered straight back to their persecutors”, the statement reads. | These policies “increase the risk of refugees being delivered straight back to their persecutors”, the statement reads. |
| “Australia is outsourcing responsibility for those who have arrived and is trying to scare off others thinking of coming. At the same time, it has also announced plans to significantly cut its humanitarian intake. | “Australia is outsourcing responsibility for those who have arrived and is trying to scare off others thinking of coming. At the same time, it has also announced plans to significantly cut its humanitarian intake. |
| “By burden shifting rather than burden sharing, Australia is setting an alarming global precedent which must be condemned. | “By burden shifting rather than burden sharing, Australia is setting an alarming global precedent which must be condemned. |
| “We call on the Human Rights Council and member states to remind Australia of both the letter and spirit of its international obligations under the Refugee Convention and UN human rights treaties and to hold Australia to account for violations.” | “We call on the Human Rights Council and member states to remind Australia of both the letter and spirit of its international obligations under the Refugee Convention and UN human rights treaties and to hold Australia to account for violations.” |
| The UN human rights council has 47 national members, including the US, Japan and Germany. Australia is not a member. | The UN human rights council has 47 national members, including the US, Japan and Germany. Australia is not a member. |
| Rachel Ball, director of advocacy and campaigns at HRLC, told Guardian Australia that she hoped the international community would place pressure on Australia to change direction on asylum seeker policy. | Rachel Ball, director of advocacy and campaigns at HRLC, told Guardian Australia that she hoped the international community would place pressure on Australia to change direction on asylum seeker policy. |
| “The human rights council will see beyond the political game playing and see a wealthy democracy flout its obligations and violate the rights of refugees,” she said. “These are policies that risk forcing people back into the hands of their persecutors. Australia is complicit in the harm they suffer as a result. | “The human rights council will see beyond the political game playing and see a wealthy democracy flout its obligations and violate the rights of refugees,” she said. “These are policies that risk forcing people back into the hands of their persecutors. Australia is complicit in the harm they suffer as a result. |
| “The policies of the government risk damaging our reputation and credibility on the international stage. At a time when Australia is president of the UN security council, it should be showing leadership on the world stage.” | “The policies of the government risk damaging our reputation and credibility on the international stage. At a time when Australia is president of the UN security council, it should be showing leadership on the world stage.” |
| The full text of the statement to the 24th session of the UN Human Rights Council, September 2013. Item 4: General Debate | The full text of the statement to the 24th session of the UN Human Rights Council, September 2013. Item 4: General Debate |
| Statement by the Human Rights Law Centre, Australia | Statement by the Human Rights Law Centre, Australia |
| Mr President, | Mr President, |
| The Human Rights Law Centre is deeply concerned about Australia’s unlawful and increasingly punitive treatment of people seeking its protection. | The Human Rights Law Centre is deeply concerned about Australia’s unlawful and increasingly punitive treatment of people seeking its protection. |
| Australia continues to remove asylum seekers arriving by boat to Nauru and to Manus Island, Papua New Guinea. Asylum seekers are being subjected to arbitrary, indefinite detention in conditions the UNHCR has assessed as falling short of international human rights standards. They are being penalised on account of their mode of arrival, contrary to Australia’s obligations under the Refugee Convention. | Australia continues to remove asylum seekers arriving by boat to Nauru and to Manus Island, Papua New Guinea. Asylum seekers are being subjected to arbitrary, indefinite detention in conditions the UNHCR has assessed as falling short of international human rights standards. They are being penalised on account of their mode of arrival, contrary to Australia’s obligations under the Refugee Convention. |
| Australia has also promised a strong military response. It has announced plans to issue orders to the Australian navy to tow boats carrying asylum seekers back to their origin without proper assessment of the protection needs of those on board. | Australia has also promised a strong military response. It has announced plans to issue orders to the Australian navy to tow boats carrying asylum seekers back to their origin without proper assessment of the protection needs of those on board. |
| Australia has declared its intention to abolish the right to appeal negative refugee assessments to an independent tribunal and to withdraw all government-funded legal assistance for asylum seekers. Such measures severely compromise the quality and fairness of Australia’s refugee assessment processes. They increase the risk of refugees being delivered straight back to their persecutors. | Australia has declared its intention to abolish the right to appeal negative refugee assessments to an independent tribunal and to withdraw all government-funded legal assistance for asylum seekers. Such measures severely compromise the quality and fairness of Australia’s refugee assessment processes. They increase the risk of refugees being delivered straight back to their persecutors. |
| Australia is outsourcing responsibility for those who have arrived and is trying to scare off others thinking of coming. At the same time, it has also announced plans to significantly cut its humanitarian intake. | Australia is outsourcing responsibility for those who have arrived and is trying to scare off others thinking of coming. At the same time, it has also announced plans to significantly cut its humanitarian intake. |
| By burden shifting rather than burden sharing, Australia is setting an alarming global precedent which must be condemned. | By burden shifting rather than burden sharing, Australia is setting an alarming global precedent which must be condemned. |
| We call on the Human Rights Council and member states to remind Australia of both the letter and spirit of its international obligations under the Refugee Convention and UN human rights treaties and to hold Australia to account for violations. | We call on the Human Rights Council and member states to remind Australia of both the letter and spirit of its international obligations under the Refugee Convention and UN human rights treaties and to hold Australia to account for violations. |
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