Australia
Australia is a vibrant multicultural democracy with robust institutions. Yet 2019 saw freedom of expression come under unprecedented pressure, with police raids on journalists and a government official, and the prosecution of a whistleblower and his lawyer for violating secrecy laws. Overly broad national security laws are open to misuse. Six years after it introduced offshore processing of refugees and asylum seekers, the government maintains its stance that no one who arrives by boat will be resettled in Australia. Indigenous Australians remain significantly overrepresented in the criminal justice system, and people with disabilities are particularly at risk of neglect and abuse.

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“I Needed Help, Instead I Was Punished”
Abuse and Neglect of Prisoners with Disabilities in Australia
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Australia: Appalling Abuse, Neglect of Refugees on Nauru
Investigation on Remote Pacific Island Finds Deliberate Abuse Hidden Behind Wall of Secrecy
News
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Australia: Address Abuses Raised at UN Review
Countries Criticize Failures on Refugees, Children, Indigenous Rights
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Australia: First Nations Inequality Harms Global Standing
Police Powers Misused in Covid-19 Response; Refugees Mistreated
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Uyghur Family Kept Apart by China’s Xinjiang Policies Reunites
Together Again in Australia After 3 Years of Forced Separation
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Australia: Ensure Justice for Alleged War Crimes
Independent Investigations, Swift Reparations, Protection for Whistleblowers
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Australia: Follow Up Afghan Report with Prosecutions
War Crimes Investigations Should Be Prompt, Independent to Ensure Justice
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Afghan Victims Deserve Justice in Australian Inquiry
Canberra Should Release War Crimes Report, Pursue Criminal Charges
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Western Australia: Covid-19 Hard Border Causing Hardship
State government should prioritize compassionate cases, family reunification