DIMIA caught red handed breaching UN Convention

DIMIA caught red handed breaching UN Convention

Greens Senator Kerry Nettle today accused the Minister for Immigration of breaching the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights by allowing the deportation of an asylum seeker whose case was under investigation by the United Nations Human Rights Committee.

"If it wasn't for asylum seeker advocates in Australia contacting the
United Nations in Geneva to alert them of this deportation then this man could now be dead, or imprisoned or otherwise in danger," Senator
Nettle said.

"This man is the subject of a UN Human Rights Communication and the
United Nations Human Rights Committee had made an interim request that he not be deported. Under these circumstances it is a breach of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to deport him.

"The United Nations does not issue these Human Rights Communications lightly. The fact that they did indicates the serious nature of this asylum seeker's case and consequently the recklessness of the Immigration Department in trying to deport him.

"This botched deportation will have been a terrifying ordeal for the asylum seeker, will have further tarnished Australia's standing in the international community, and cost the Australian taxpayer tens of thousands of dollars.

"This man has been imprisoned by DIMIA for five years and now they are asking him to start the visa application process all over again after their botched attempts to deport him into danger. This is totally unacceptable.

"The compliance section of the Department of Immigration has shown itself to be incompetent. All deportations should be put on hold until the Department can show that they will comply with international law".

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