Abbott in bid to return Iranian Detainees

i_lov_it

This is quite interesting about the Australian Prime Minister.
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/tony-abbott-confirms-bid-to-return-iranian-asylum-seekers-to-iran-20150411-1miz3f.html

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has confirmed that Australia will try to strike a deal with Iran to take back Iranian asylum seekers who are not found to be genuine refugees.

Fairfax Media revealed on Saturday that Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop will use a trip to Tehran next week to lobby the Iranian government to end its long-standing practice of not accepting failed asylum seekers.

Many Iranian refugees are held at the Manus Island detention centre, where about 40 per cent of those assessed have been given "negative refugee status" initial assessments. Thousands more are held on bridging visas on the Australian mainland.

"People who arrived illegally by boat - some will be found to be refugees and some won't," Mr Abbott said on Saturday. "It's important that those found not to be refugees go home. This is where we'll be talking to the Iranian government about taking back people who are Iranian citizens because they deserve to be in Iran, they belong in Iran, if they are found not to be genuine refugees."

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said he supported returning failed asylum seekers to their home country as long as Australia meets its international obligations.

But Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said that returning asylum seekers to Iran would "put the lives of men, women and children at higher risk".

Ms Hanson-Young said: "What kind of guarantees will the Australian government get to ensure that people who are sent back to Iran are looked after and kept safe?

"Julie Bishop and the Foreign Affairs department need to be crystal clear with the Australian public before they go - what conditions will they set down in terms of this negotiation?"

The United Nations Convention on Torture states that countries must not return a person to a country where there are substantial grounds for believing that he or she would be in danger of being subjected to torture.

brianlux

"What kind of guarantees will the Australian government get to ensure that people who are sent back to Iran are looked after and kept safe?"

Seems to me there is now way to guarantee these people's safety. Almost sounds like sending them back is a death warrant.

I'm wondering, how is it determined that some of the people are "failed asylum seekers". It's not like they're on vacation, right?

i_lov_it

brianlux said:

"What kind of guarantees will the Australian government get to ensure that people who are sent back to Iran are looked after and kept safe?"

Seems to me there is now way to guarantee these people's safety. Almost sounds like sending them back is a death warrant.

I'm wondering, how is it determined that some of the people are "failed asylum seekers". It's not like they're on vacation, right?

That's a good point Brian...you want the people who they're sending back to be safe and not just to get out of the way...but then again if it is safe to be sent back to Iran then there's no harm and surely the Iranian government can take some responsibility for there own citizens is safe to do so.