Documents on Australia | Human Rights Watch

Sri Lanka: Australia Should Raise Torture Concerns

Press release
Apr 30, 2012

Australia’s immigration minister should raise concerns with Sri Lankan officials about alleged arbitrary arrest and torture of people who were refused asylum and sent back to Sri Lanka when he visits this week.
Australia: Urge Human Rights Improvements in Vietnam

Press release
Apr 25, 2012

Australia should urge Vietnam to release all political prisoners and to end restrictions on the freedoms of expression, association, peaceful assembly, belief, and religion when the two sides meet for their annual bilateral human rights dialogue in Hanoi on April 26-27, 2012.
Australia–Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue

Memorandum
Apr 24, 2012

During the year 2011 and the first quarter of 2012, there were many violations of human rights in Vietnam including a steady stream of political trials and arrests.
Australia: Promote Human Rights in Southeast Asia

Press release
Apr 15, 2012

Australia should make human rights a priority in developing closer ties with Southeast Asian countries.
Letter to Senator Carr Re. Australia’s Human Rights Influence in Asia

Letter
Apr 15, 2012
Kevin Rudd must up the ante on Sri Lanka

Commentary
Feb 2, 2012

As nations such as Canada and Britain weigh in on accountability for war crimes in Sri Lanka, it's time for Australia to add its voice.
Australia: Letter to the Australian Labor Party Regarding Support for Same-Sex Marriage

Letter
Nov 25, 2011
Australia: Ruling Upholds Refugees’ Rights

Press release
Aug 31, 2011

The Australian High Court ruled on August 31, 2011, that the Australia-Malaysia Transfer and Resettlement Arrangement is invalid and that any attempt to remove these asylum seekers to Malaysia would be unlawful.
Submission to the Australia Senate Legal and Constitutional Committees

Written statement
Aug 30, 2011

Human Rights Watch submits this assessment of the Australia-Malaysia Transfer and Resettlement Arrangement (hereafter, the Arrangement) with particular reference to the consistency of the agreement to transfer asylum seekers to Malaysia with Australia’s obligations under international refugee law and with respect to the implications of the Arrangement for unaccompanied children, in particular, whether there are any guarantees with respect to their treatment.
Australia: Cluster bombs bill is a law of loopholes

Commentary
Aug 18, 2011

The Australian Senate has a chance to avoid an embarrassing double standard in its approach to international law. But it needs to decide: does it want to ban cluster munitions or not? Is it willing to stand by its signed commitment to eliminate these indiscriminate weapons immediately rather than do the bidding of the United States, which wants to put off a ban until at least 2018?