The high court just threw out a challenge by the Human Rights Law Centre alleging the government had unlawfully detained people on Nauru, before they were brought to Australia temporarily for medical reasons.
Now the government is free to send 267 vulnerable people back to Nauru.
Here are 5 reasons to come and join protests on Thursday 4 February calling for the government to #LetThemStay and not send them to Nauru.
1. Babies
37 of the 267 people to be sent back are babies, many of whom have being born in Australia and are at a greater risk of medical problems and abuse if sent to Nauru.
2. Sexual Assault
15 of the women to be sent back have allegedly being sexually assaulted. Many fear going back to the centres, believing they will be assaulted again. Local police rarely take allegations seriously, out of 50 cases referred to the Nauruan police by the detention center operators; they have only laid charges in five of them and still not prosecuted anyone successfully.
3. Child Abuse
Many children face regular abuse. In October last year two Afghani refugees teenagers on Nauru where beaten up by locals whilst walking home. Reports of a six year old being sexually assaulted and the perpetrator still hasn't being arrested or charged. Over a dozen young children held a protest on Nauru earlier this year and filmed it, detailing accounts of regular abuse at school, including by teachers.
4. Reporting Abuse is Illegal
It is illegal for staff to report child abuse. To do so carries a penalty of 2 years imprisonment.
5. Open-Air Prison
5. Despite claims from the government that the Nauru facility is now open for people to come and go (it was 'opened' mid way through the court case). With a radius of only 22km, lacking the proper medical facilities needed and refugees are often abused by locals. The island is effectively an open-air prison where sexual assault and abuse is common.
Rally Details:
SYDNEY | THURS FEB 0412:30pm, DIBP
https://www.facebook.com/events/131074647274711/
MELBOURNE | THURS FEB 04
5:30pm, State Library of Victoria
https://www.facebook.com/events/907459779369725/
CANBERRA | THURS FEB 04
5:30pm, Cnr Northbourne Avenue and Barry Drive
https://www.facebook.com/events/1665817080357729/
PERTH | THURS FEB 04
6:30pm, Perth Immigration Residential Housing (PIRH)
https://www.facebook.com/events/1588568718056611/
BRISBANE | FRI FEB 05
12:00pm, DIBP
https://www.facebook.com/events/1245663552126787/
DARWIN | MON FEB 08 5:30pm, Nightcliff Pool
ARMIDALE | THURS FEB 4 5:30pm, Central Park
https://www.facebook.com/events/1038674902858047/
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