Refugee supporters are calling for Border Force to end visiting restrictions at detention centres and hotel-prisons and immediately reinstate detention visiting.
Despite declaring detention centres to be a high COVID risk environment, Border Force refused to release people from immigration detention. But visiting was stopped across the Australian detention regime in March this year.
The indefinite detention of hundreds of people who have been transferred under the Medevac legislation from PNG and Nauru is taking a high toll on their mental health that continues to deteriorate. Resignation syndrome that, for many, was the urgent medical reason they were brought from PNG and Nauru is just as rampant in the Kangaroo Point and the Mantra Hotels as it was in the offshore prisons.
There have been a number of attempted suicides in both Kangaroo Point, and Mantra Hotels and detention centres since visiting was stopped in March.
The most recent suicide attempt in the Kangaroo Point hotel was made by Somali refugee, Saif, who has been separated from his wife and family for three years. Saif was brought to Australia in June 2019, to be with his family, but he has been held in closed detention since then, separated from his wife and 3-year-old son who are living in the community in Brisbane.
Saif has only been able to see his wife and child over the fence at Kangaroo Point since visiting was stopped eight months ago. There is no excuse for Saif being denied visits from his family.
Since 31 October, prisoners being held in Queensland corrective service institutions can have a maximum of two visitors, which can include one child. Yet Kangaroo Point and BITA remain closed to visitors.
There is no reason for stalling on re-establishing detention visiting, in Queensland or any of the other states.
“It is typical that Border Force is more interested in its own operational convenience than the welfare of those they are holding prisoner,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition, “Delaying visiting is adding to the mental torment of the people being unjustly held. Visiting arrangements should be started immediately.”
Protests calling to “Free the refugees” are being held in Brisbane and Melbourne over the coming days. Unions for Refugees, Brisbane are rallying outside Kangaroo Point today (Tuesday, 5.00pm). The Refugee Action Collective in Victoria is holding a rally at the Mantra Hotel prison in Preston on Saturday 14 November, 2pm
For more information contact Ian Rintoul 0417 725 713
