Australia is instead insisting that refugees held offshore must go to America – if accepted – or stay offshore. “Australia’s policy of offshore processing in Papua New Guinea and Nauru ... has caused extensive, avoidable suffering for far too long,” Grandi said from Geneva. But he said offshore processing was neither a feasible nor legal solution. Australia’s offshore processing policy violates this right, and in addition is causing extreme psychological suffering that may amount to inhuman or degrading treatment, which also violates international law. The US resettlement deal – touted by both the government and opposition as the resolution of Australia’s offshore regime – remains uncertain.

Source: The Guardian July 24, 2017 05:01 UTC