A protest organised to support Latifar and her new baby Ferouz under threat of being returned to detention in Nauru will be held outside the Brisbane Federal Court, 119 North Quay, Friday 29 November, from 2.30pm
The hearing adjourned from last Tuesday will determine whether the Federal Court has the jurisdiction to hear the case, and if so, whether an injunction will be issued by the court to restrain the Minister for Immigration from returning the family to Nauru.
Although, at the time the Immigration Minister believed that Latifar was pregnant with twins, the Rohingyan family was sent to Nauru from Christmas Island in September.
Despite the Minister denying she existed and his boosting the maternal and neo-natal facilities on Nauru, Latifar was evacuated to Brisbane to give birth on 6 November, enduring being separated from baby Ferouz only four days later when she was went to detention while the baby was kept at the Mater Mothers.
“It is a disgrace that there should have to be a court hearing to prevent the Minister from returning Latifar and her family to Nauru. The conditions in the family camp are shocking,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.
“The heat is intense, but there is no running water in the tent accommodation area. Water is so severely rationed, to get a cup of water, asylum seekers have to walk about 500 metres to the water storage. Families queue for up to an hour in the sun to get meals.
“The appalling conditions on Nauru have been confirmed by the latest report by the UNHCR. Nauru should be closed and all asylum seekers brought to Australia.
“We are particularly concerned for the court to issue an injunction because other detainees brought from Nauru for medical treatment have been removed from the Brisbane Immigration Transit Accommodation to Nauru without notice,” said Rintoul.
For more information contact Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713 or Lou Dingle 0408 795 402
