Pregnant asylum seeker Abyan returns to Australia
Abyan, the pregnant Somali refugee who was allegedly raped and sent back to Nauru earlier this month, will return to Australia after changing her mind about terminating her pregnancy.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said on Wednesday that details of Abyan’s arrival and decision as to whether or not to push through with the abortion was a personal matter, and asked the public to respect her privacy. Dutton also denied allegations that the government changed its decision to leave Abyan in Nauru because of pressure from the United Nations (UN). The UN had called for the Australian government to offer Abyan “decent options,” the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
Dutton said medical experts in Nauru met with Abyan and advised her to travel to Australia for medical assistance despite Abyan’s initial refusal to return to the country. Once in Australia, Abyan will be offered proper counselling.
Dutton did not reveal the exact date of Abyan’s return to the country as he does not want it to be a “media spectacle.”
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights spokesman Rupert Colville said the organisation has been in contact with Abyan, whom he described as mentally and physically fragile because of trauma from her alleged rape. Colville also said in a statement that Abyan refused to give information to the Nauru police about her attackers out of fear.
For its part, the Nauruan government said that Australian media requesting access to Australian-funded detention centres will not be entertained by the government as Nauru “is not a state of Australia.”
As a part of the country’s strict immigration policies, asylum seekers brought to Australia for medical assistance cannot seek permanent resettlement in the country.
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