Exclusive | Coronavirus: Australia blocks evacuation of nine-year-old girl from Wuhan, risking human rights violation
- Girl travelled to the city before Christmas with her mother, a naturalised Australian citizen born in Wuhan who then returned to Australia before the outbreak
- But was not allowed on evacuation flight because she did not have ‘legal guardianship’ with an Australian citizen for the trip
An Australian mother desperate to be reunited with her nine-year-old daughter, who was denied a place on the first evacuation flight out of the Wuhan this week, has been told to “wait until the Chinese government opens up” the virus-stricken city, even though the move risks the government violating international human rights laws.
“How can you isolate a child?” said Selina, who asked for her family name not be disclosed, told the South China Morning Post. “Isn't the first most important step to get a child out of the area? You can't just say there is no solution.”
How can you isolate a child? Isn't the first most important step to get a child out of the area? You can't just say there is no solution
Selina has made four calls to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s consular service, Smartraveller, and two to Australia’s border control department in the past five days, only to be told “there's nothing we can do”.