The Australian Greens welcome the government’s commitment to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, and hope it leads to more humane conditions in both onshore and offshore detention facilities.
“We welcome the government’s commitment to this important agreement, and look forward to seeing the legislation when it comes before the Parliament,” Greens Justice and Immigration spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.
“It creates an independent inspection system for Australia’s prisons, juvenile detention centres and immigration detention centres.”
“As it applies to all facilities in Australia’s jurisdiction and control, we hope it lead to a more rigorous inspection of Australia’s offshore immigration detention centres.”
Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said that, broadly, the ratification of OPCAT was a welcome development.
“The ratification of OPCAT will hopefully reduce abuse and torture in detention and other institutional settings,” she said.
“Ill-treatment in these settings is far too rife, this has been demonstrated by evidence given to Senate inquiries and the Royal Commission.”
Senator Nick McKim, Senator Rachel Siewert
