Published:
25 Oct 2022 03:11 GMT
The United Nations agency did not obtain permission to visit certain prisons in the country and faced difficulties in properly inspecting other sites.
The United Nations Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture (SPT) announced the suspension of its visit to Australia, due to obstacles raised by local authorities that made it impossible to properly inspect the country’s prison facilities.
In a release issued last Sunday, the SPT delegation denounced that it was prevented from “visiting various places where detainees are held” and that it “experienced difficulties in carrying out complete visits to other places”, while also not receiving “all the relevant information and documentation “which I had requested.
“Despite its continued efforts to engage the authorities to resolve the issues, the SPT continued to face obstruction in the exercise of its mandate,” reported the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, adding that the planned visit as a result “It was compromised to such an extent that there was no other option but to suspend it.”
The UN body’s mission to Australia was planned to 12 days, from October 16 to 27. Aisha Shujune Muhammad, who led the delegation, denounced “a clear breach by Australia of its obligations under the OPCAT [Protocolo Facultativo de la Convención contra la Tortura y otros tratos o penas crueles, inhumanos o degradantes]”.
For its part, the Australian Government lament the decision of the SPT to suspend the visit to the country, and described as “disappointing” that the New South Wales authorities denied the delegation permission to visit any detention center located within the state’s territory.
“The SPT experienced some difficulties accessing to certain places of detention in jurisdictions other than New South Wales. Those difficulties were unfortunate, but good faith attempts were made to resolve them. Access to places of detention managed by the Commonwealth was facilitated in all cases,” the agency detailed on Monday.
The Government of Australia assured that the suspension of the UN mission does not change its commitment to the “protection of human rights at the national and international level”.
