The new United Nations high commissioner for human rights will use his maiden speech to accuse Australia of causing a “chain of human rights violations” through its policy of detaining asylum seekers offshore.
Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein’s speech, due to be delivered in Geneva on Monday, will be highly critical of Australia’s approach to detention and its policy of turning back boats carrying asylum seekers.
Al-Hussein, previously Jordan’s ambassador to the US, will say the detention of asylum seekers and other migrants should “only be applied as a last resort, in exceptional circumstances, for the shortest possible duration and according to procedural safeguards”.
“Australia’s policy of offshore processing for asylum seekers arriving by sea, and its interception and turning back of vessels, is leading to a chain of human rights violations, including arbitrary detention and possible torture following return to home countries.