Opinion | Why is a UN torture prevention team visiting Australia?
- Group will look at how human rights abuses can be prevented in detention and conditions improved, including for indigenous groups
- Visit means international pressure on Australia to finally move forward with anti-torture protocol commitments; it has been dragging its feet
The United Nations is to pay a special visit to Australia to look at some of the hidden corners of its society.
A UN torture prevention subcommittee will be making unannounced visits to various places of detention between October 16 and 27. These may include adult prisons, youth detention facilities, immigration detention centres, police cells, mental health institutions and secure welfare facilities.
The team will be looking for opportunities to prevent abuse and improve detention conditions.
The visit will place international pressure on Australia to finally move forward with its commitments under the UN anti-torture protocol, on which the country has been dragging its feet.
It is also a unique opportunity for Australians to see what is happening behind closed doors and to demand better transparency, accountability, and treatment of vulnerable citizens.
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