Child refugee probe in Australia
The Australian government has criticised a planned investigation by the country’s human rights watchdog into the plight of hundreds of children held in the nation’s refugee detention camps.
Announcing the inquiry, Human Rights Commissioner Dr Sev Ozdowski said he would investigate whether Australia is breaching its international obligations by holding 582 children in camps, including 53 children being detained without their parents.
Prime Minister John Howard’s conservative government has come under sustained attack from human rights groups at home and abroad for its policy of imprisoning all asylum seekers who arrive in Australia until their applications for refugee status can be processed.
