Thread by @drlouisehansen

“Lock up Dutton, throw away the key. We won’t stop until we free the refugees”: A protest out the front of Carlton’s Park Hotel. Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton locked up in cages made to stand trial over the unlawful indefinite detention of refugees.” 1/15 #GameOver #Auspol

“Organised by Whistleblowers, Activists and Communities Alliance (WACA), aimed to convey Australia’s politicians and the police that are a threat to human rights. And just like on top of the truck, the real Morrison and Dutton should stand trial for their crimes.” 2/15

“At the Mantra, I had a window and I could see people,” Kurdish refugee and current Park Hotel detainee Mostafa Azimitabar in a statement. “I think this is one of their plans: for us not to be seen by people outside smiling at us – waving at us. Here, there is no window.” 3/15

“WACA further pointed out that in February this year the International Criminal Court (ICC) condemned Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers as a cruel and inhumane transgression of international law, which is a view it shares with the Australian Human Rights Commission.” 4/15

“Playing politics with lives: Tragically, former offshore detainee Ismail Hussein attempted suicide on 22 December. The 29-year-old Somali refugee meant to throw himself off the roof of the Park Hotel located on Carlton’s Swanston Street in the early hours of the morning.” 5/15

“And following his attempted suicide, Australian authorities took Hussein to the Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation (MITA) facility in Broadmeadows, where they placed him in isolation.” 6/15

“This is the typical thing they do when someone attempts suicide, they place them in isolation,” explained Gomez, who is a psychiatric nurse. “Theoretically, they do this for their safety. Although, that’s not how we do it in psychiatric hospitals.” 7/15

“Gomez further said that Hussein now has a guard accompanying him 24/7, which is again not how medical professionals deal with suicide survivors.” 8/15

“Having first met Ismail a year ago when visitors were still allowed at the Mantra, Gomez outlined that the detainee was halfway through an engineering degree when he was forced to flee Somalia to save his own life.” 9/15

“We have a terrible fear the government might send these men back to Christmas Island,” Gomez continued. And the nurse made clear that this would have a seriously detrimental impact upon the refugees who were first detained at the island facility near on eight years ago.” 10/15

“Home affairs minister Peter Dutton announced on shock jock radio in August that his department was going to start transferring noncitizen immigration detainees awaiting deportation to the remote Christmas Island facility.” 11/15

“And despite ABF assurances that no asylum seekers or refugees will be sent to the facility, history has taught their supporters not to trust the government’s official line on such matters.” 12/15

“Right now, Australian PM Scott Morrison has the Biloela family locked up on the island for the holiday season. It consists of two adult Tamil parents who arrived in this country by boat many years ago and their two Australian-born infant daughters Kopika and Tharunicaa.” 13/15

“The Park Hotel is only temporary. Serco is actively recruiting for a lot of staff to work on Christmas Island, which will commence soon,” Gomez concluded.” 14/15

“There is an idea the Christmas Island move could happen in March. So, it’s of the greatest urgency that people start speaking out for these guys and showing up to protests.” 15/15

Source: Lexology 2020