Amnesty International: Empty the Manus and Nauru Detention Centers

Amnesty International has urged Australian politicians to take action to transfer 1,287 men, women, and children currently detained in offshore camps as discussions continue regarding the bill to impose a lifetime ban on refugees entering the country. The statement released by the human rights organization on Tuesday, October 23, states: "Australian politicians from all sides must agree on protecting the children, women, and men whose lives are endangered in the Manus and Nauru detention centers." The Australian immigration reform bill, known as the lifetime ban bill, was passed in the House of Representatives in the fall of 2016 and has been under review in the Senate since then. This bill prohibits anyone transferred to Nauru or Manus Island by the Australian government since the summer of 2013 from applying for an Australian visa, a move that has faced protests from human rights advocates, including Amnesty International. In its statement, Amnesty International emphasized that preventing individuals from moving freely solely because they are refugees is a denial of the human rights of those currently facing severe abuse. The statement references an Iranian refugee on Manus who has been attacked with a stick and is now in critical condition. Another case involves a man who self-harmed with a razor and attempted to hang himself, illustrating the harsh living conditions in these detention centers. Amnesty International also notes that there are currently 52 children being held in Nauru, most of whom are under severe psychological pressure. The organization further asserts that refugees need protection and respect and deserve it. No one can violate the fundamental human right to seek asylum based on how they arrived in another country. These refugees arrived in Australia by boat, but the Australian government transferred them to offshore detention centers immediately upon their arrival.