Leading international human rights advocates have slammed the Turnbull government's hardline and highly secretive offshore immigration detention regime as well as its attempts to strengthen counter-terrorism laws in a review of practices around the world.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The latest report by Human Rights Watch also highlights the rise of populist politicians such as US President-elect Donald Trump and strongmen leaders in Russia, the Philippines, Turkey and China as putting the postwar system of universal rights at risk, warning that converging trends of authoritarianism, fake news and rejection of fact will challenge efforts to promote tolerance and equality.
Australia's asylum seeker boat turn-backs, silencing of offshore medical staff and service providers and ineffective resettlement schemes in Papua New Guinea and Cambodia are highlighted in the report, which singles out immigration detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru for specific breaches of human rights and describes the policies as highly secretive and draconian.
The annual review of more than 90 countries, which was released on Thursday in Washington DC, says Indigenous Australians remain disproportionately subject to the criminal justice system and criticises political blocks to same-sex marriage and effective administration of the Human Rights Act.
Human Rights Watch says of the more than 900 asylum seekers and refugees are living on Manus Island, only about 25 have been allowed to move to the PNG mainland to work in Lae or Port Moresby.
The report says several returned to Manus over fears to their personal safety and poor work and living conditions.
A further 1200 refugees housed on Nauru "regularly endure violence, threats, and harassment from Nauruans, with little protection from local authorities," the report said.
Gay and lesbian asylum seekers in both countries continue to face harassment and abuse, despite Nauru's decriminalisation of same-sex conduct.
"[Detainees] face unnecessary delays in, and at times denial of, medical care, even for life-threatening conditions.
"Many have dire mental health problems and suffer from depression. Self-harm and suicide attempts are frequent. In May 2016, two refugees self-immolated in separate incidents; one died and the other was badly burned."
The report also highlights the failure of Northern Territory justice officials to act on reports of human rights abuses in the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre, a controversy which prompted Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to establish a royal commission in July last year.
The Coalition's ongoing moves to strengthen counter-terror laws, including allowing judges to authorise continuing detention for offenders who have served their sentences but who are considered an "unacceptable risk" to the community, risk "arbitrary and indefinite detention using a low standard of proof and secret evidence".
Human Rights Watch executive director Kenneth Roth said Mr Trump's election and moves away from human rights protections by leaders such as the Philippines' Rodrigo Duterte, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin in Russia were a key concern for 2017.
"Trump and various politicians in Europe seek power through appeals to racism, xenophobia, misogyny, and nativism," he said.
"They all claim that the public accepts violations of human rights as supposedly necessary to secure jobs, avoid cultural change, or prevent terrorist attacks.
"In fact, disregard for human rights offers the likeliest route to tyranny."
