The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) called for a judicial inquiry into the detention of children of asylum seekers in a report condemning the practise, stating that it violates international law.
The report, The Forgotten Children, published this week by the president of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Professor Gillian Triggs, found that more than 300 children had either committed or threatened self harm during a 15-month period that also saw over 200 assaults and 30 reported sexual assaults.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott however criticised the report saying the AHRC was engaged in “transparent stitch-ups”. He went on to say the report was a “blatantly partisan exercise” and that the commission “should be ashamed of itself”.
The “prolonged detention is having profoundly negative impacts on the mental and emotional health and development of children”, states the report, noting that “at the time of writing this report, children and adults had been detained for over a year on average.”
Both international and Australian law prohibits children being detained, unless it is a “last resort”. Yet Australia is the only country in the world that detains all unlawful citizens, including children.
Professor Triggs said compiling the report had been a difficult exercise with the AHRC subjected to “intense scrutiny and hostility”. “The government at the time was initially dismissive of its findings,” she added.
See more from the Guardian here.
The report, The Forgotten Children, published this week by the president of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Professor Gillian Triggs, found that more than 300 children had either committed or threatened self harm during a 15-month period that also saw over 200 assaults and 30 reported sexual assaults.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott however criticised the report saying the AHRC was engaged in “transparent stitch-ups”. He went on to say the report was a “blatantly partisan exercise” and that the commission “should be ashamed of itself”.
The “prolonged detention is having profoundly negative impacts on the mental and emotional health and development of children”, states the report, noting that “at the time of writing this report, children and adults had been detained for over a year on average.”
Both international and Australian law prohibits children being detained, unless it is a “last resort”. Yet Australia is the only country in the world that detains all unlawful citizens, including children.
Professor Triggs said compiling the report had been a difficult exercise with the AHRC subjected to “intense scrutiny and hostility”. “The government at the time was initially dismissive of its findings,” she added.
See more from the Guardian here.