Tasmanian MP Calls for ICC Investigation into Australian Immigration Policies

Friday 24 October 2014 @ 11.47 a.m. | Immigration

Independent Tasmanian MP, Andrew Wilkie, has written a letter to the International Criminal Court calling for the investigation of Australia and the Abbott Government for crimes against humanity with regards to its immigration policies.

The letter named the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, and his nineteen-member cabinet including immigration minister, Scott Morrison, as violating the Refugee Convention, Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Contents of the Letter to ICC

In his letter, Wilkie described the effect of the current immigration policy on asylum seekers. He states that men, women and children are being forcibly relocated and then subjected to arbitrary imprisonment through mandatory and sometimes indefinite detention. Wilkie argued asylum seekers in Australian custody are subject to “imprisonment and other severe deprivation of physical liberty in violation of fundamental rules of international law.” 

At the moment, it is unclear whether ICC prosecutors will take up the application to investigate. Wilkie said he had hoped not to take such drastic action against the government, but said he was forced to because of an “absence of movement” on the issue.

“I’ve tried repeatedly in the House of Representatives, refugee advocates have tried and tried and tried...Things have deteriorated, really, as far as the government’s asylum seeker policy goes. This is the next step to take.”

Abbott Government Response

Since it came into power in late 2013, the Abbott Government has taken a hard line on asylum seekers. The government has since enforced strict maritime policies aimed at intercepting asylum seeker boats at sea and effectively deterring others from approaching Australian shores. Abbott has also vowed to stop asylum seekers from setting foot on Australian mainland by detaining them on island camps, including on the island nation of Nauru. 

The Abbott Government has defended its actions by explaining that there have been no deaths at sea since last year compared with over 300 missing, confirmed or presumed deaths at sea in the year prior to Operation Sovereign Borders under the Labor government. Wilkie acknowledged that the policy has “saved a few lives at our border”, but said that came “at the expense of a lot of lives elsewhere”.

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