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mobile phone lifeline For those in immigration detention. But if the administration has its way, that line could soon be severed.
A Proposed Bill The bill also gives officers new powers to search detainees without a warrant and allows strip searches and the use of police dogs in detention centres.
Friends and family of detainees will also be subject to expanded powers to screen and search visitors.
The bill is expected to be voted on in parliament this week. The key vote is likely to take place in the Senate, where the government Trying to influence The crucial vote went to Jacqui Lambie.
this Claimed Purpose The Act
Ensure the Department is able to provide a safe and secure environment for staff, detainees and visitors within immigration detention facilities.
government Claims Some detainees used mobile devices to organize criminal activities and intimidate staff and other detainees.
Yet the greatest risk to detainees and their loved ones comes not from cell phones but from the isolation and trauma of our immigration detention system.
A 2019 Report A study by the Australian Human Rights Commission found that only a minority of detainees used mobile phones inappropriately. In contrast, rates of self-harm in Australia’s immigration detention system are 200 times higher No more so than in the Australian community.
This bill will only make things worse.
Michael Dodge/AAP
Current detention status
In theory, immigration detention in Australia is Not intended to punish. However, My Research It can be seen that the logic of “deterrence” permeates every aspect of life in the detention center.
Detainees are under constant surveillance and their rooms are frequently inspected. Dormitory-style sleeping arrangements offer little privacy. Recreational activities are limited and frequent changes to house rules contribute to instability.
over Use of Force Just this month, the federal Ombudsman warn,
Across the immigration detention network, there appears to be a growing trend towards using force to resolve conflict or insubordination as a first rather than last option.
Detainees were rarely allowed to leave their detention facilities. Some detainees – including Papua New Guinea or Nauru for Emergency Medical Treatment under The now-repealed medical evacuation law — has been detained for more than seven years.
Existing barriers to maintaining relationships
In this context, connections with friends, family, healthcare professionals and legal representatives are vital. But maintaining communication is not easy.
Where spontaneous visits were previously allowed, relatives must now apply for Visiting a detention center Please apply at least one week in advance. Group visits may take longer to apply. Apply online It is too complex for those with poor digital literacy or limited English skills.
Sometimes, limited capacity in visiting rooms means requests are denied, meaning detainees may not see their loved ones for weeks. Cancel common.
read more:
‘People are crying and begging’: The toll of forced resettlement in immigration detention
Once the application is approved, the visitor must undergo screening, x-rays and Drug Scan.
There are also strict rules on the entry of food and gifts. Previously, visitors were allowed to bring in items such as birthday cakes, fresh fruit, children’s toys and board games to create a welcoming atmosphere, but now these items are prohibited or require special approval. All interactions are supervised by guards.
this Regular transfer of detainees between detention facilities Forced relocations, including those currently underway, are Reopening of Christmas Island immigration detention centre — further separating detainees from their loved ones, with disastrous consequences.
Richard Wainwright/AAP
Importance of mobile phones
Cell phones are not a perfect solution to these challenges. They can help detainees maintain relationships and psychological well-being when other channels of communication are cut off.
Sometimes this is something that detainees can Talk to their children or family.
Mobile phones provide detainees with a variety of functions, including allowing them to
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Communicate with loved ones in and outside Australia
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Coordinate visit times with local supporters
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Communicate with legal professionals, including via email
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Learn English and translate documents or conversations
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Access personal photos
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Get medical advice
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Watch entertainment including movies and fitness videos
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Read news from Australia and abroad
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File misuse or Security Question In the center and
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have Voices and faces In the public domain.
As The Case of the Biloela Tamil Family For example, a cell phone could be the difference between deportation and access to justice.
Last year, authorities attempted to Late night deportation After the family left, they used their cell phones to contact supporters and journalists, who in turn notified their lawyers. An emergency injunction was then granted and their plane returned mid-flight.
Banning mobile phones would deprive detainees of many of the means they rely on to survive and seek justice. It would also punish detainees’ children, partners, parents and friends.
This bill makes no sense
Beyond the mobile phone ban itself, granting new inspection and search powers would exacerbate trauma in places of detention. These are already environments where excessive force is used. Allowing strip searches and the use of detection dogs only increases the potential for abuse.
Australia’s immigration detention facilities are high security places. If there are reasonable grounds to suspect criminal activity, The police already have the power Searching facilities. Giving centre staff the power to conduct intrusive searches is neither necessary nor appropriate.
The proposed bill will not make detention centers safer. It will simply make an already cruel system even crueler.
read more:
Refugees also need to be protected from the coronavirus and must be released
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