Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott addresses the National Press Club Reuters

Australia has rejected the criticism levelled by the United Nations that it has been ill-treating asylum-seekers and committing many human rights violations. The Australian response countered the criticism made by Zeid Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein, the newly appointed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, reported AFP.

Hussein had targeted Australia with regard to its policies on offshore settlement of asylum seekers and interception of vessels and boats. The UN official also accused Australia of arbitrary detention and torture.

Hussein noted that Australia was also resettling migrants in countries, which are ill equipped for that. The Jordanian prince was addressing the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday. The UN Commissioner also slammed Cyprus and the United States for their treatment of immigrant children and the methods of detention on asylum-seekers and migrants.

Australia pursues a hard line immigration policy since July 2013. Under the new curbs, it restricts boatpeople including children and they will be directed to camps located on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific state of Nauru. Australia also uses military-led operations in turning boats back to other countries.

Ready For Meeting

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said he would be pleased to meet the Commissioner and discuss these matters. He also pointed out such abuses are rampant in Syria and Iraq. In such places, Australia is seeking to relieve the humanitarian crisis. The flagrant abuse of human rights in Syria and Iraq include beheading and crucifying of people.

Effective Asylum Policy

Morrison claimed that his country's asylum-seeker policies have proved effective in stopping people from dying at sea and in deterring them from boarding boats bound for Australia.

The immigration minister said only one boatload of asylum-seekers had reached the Australian mainland, since December. In the past, boats used to arrive on a daily basis with hundreds of people dying enroute.

Meanwhile, Daniel Webb, head of the Melbourne-based Human Rights Law Centre, welcomed Zeid's criticism of Australia and said it showed the seriousness with which Australia's flagrant breaches of international law are taken note of at the world stage.

The Government's cruel deterrence policies have only achieved the goal of denying the vulnerable people one more option and in denigrating Australia's international prestige.