BY JULIAN GORMLY

SYDNEY — If you were in any doubt about the vindictive and undemocratic nature of the Australian government's refugee policies consider the case of asylum seeker Maqsood Alshams, an activist in the Refugee Action Collective here.

Alshams was detained for 16 months in the high security section of the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre known as “Stage One”. This facility was built to hold 70 people; while Alshams was there it held about 150 people. Many sleep on mattresses on the floor as there are not enough beds.

Alshams was released in late April on the condition that he pay $63,753 for the cost of his detention. If he does not pay this by September 22, he may be detained again.

The going rate for a place on the floor at Villawood is now $139 a day. Those who have been held in detention for long periods have huge debts hanging over them.

The ever present threat of debt recovery action is only one method by which the government extorts silence from its victims.

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