UN Rules Australia Violated Asylum Seekers' Rights in Nauru Detention

The UN Human Rights Committee found Australia accountable for arbitrary detention and urged compensation for victims of its offshore processing policies.

The UN Human Rights Committee ruled that Australia's offshore detention policies violated the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in two key areas: arbitrary detention and the right to challenge detention in court.
The cases involved 25 asylum seekers, including minors from countries like Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan, who endured inadequate healthcare, poor living conditions, and deteriorating mental and physical health on Nauru.
Australia has argued it does not exercise effective control over the Nauru detention centers, but the UN found the facilities fell under Australia's jurisdiction due to its financing and operational influence.
The committee called on Australia to provide compensation to the victims and take measures to prevent similar violations in the future, though its rulings carry no legal enforcement power.
The decision serves as a warning to other nations considering outsourcing asylum processing, emphasizing that such arrangements do not absolve states of human rights obligations.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation