The United Nations Human Rights Committee criticised Australia for its "cruel and inhuman" treatment of asylum seekers and demanded their immediate release from detention. A UN watchdog pressed the Australian government to free the refugees who were placed on indefinite detention.

The criticism from the UN Human Rights Committee came after the long-running issue of asylum seekers becomes the center of attention as the election campaign continues in Australia in preparation for the Sept 7 elections.

According to the UN watchdog, Australia has violated human rights by refusing to give asylum seekers from Myanmar, Kuwait and Sri Lanka a chance to contest their indefinite detention. The UN committee also said the country's detention of 46 refugees due to security reasons was tantamount to "cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, inflicting serious psychological harm on them."

The UN committee reviewed the complaints made by the refugees composed of 42 Sri Lankan Tamils, 3 Rohingya Muslims and 1 asylum seeker from Kuwait. Australia's indefinite detention of these refugees were deemed to be arbritrary and in violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The asylum seekers arrived by boat at Christmas Island in Australia between March 2009 and Dec 2010. Despite being acknowledged as refugees, they were placed in immigration detention centres in the mainland and on Christmas Island because the country's intelligence agency saw them as a risk to security.

The 46 refugees have filed their human rights violation complaint in 2011 and 2012. The UN Committee said Australia was obliged to release the refugees and provide compensation and rehabilitation. The 18-member committee also said it has reached a conclusion that the asylum seekers were not informed about their being a security threat. This may be the reason why they were unable to contest Australia's indefinite detention.

Australia told the UN committee that revealing classified information would compromise the security assessment system, it still explained the refugees were considered a threat to inciting violence in the country. The refugees might try to raise funds in Australia to fund terrorist organisations.

According to University of Sydney's Ben Saul, an international law professor, the UN committee's findings do not mean Australia is not bound to fulfill its demands. Based on Mr Saul's assessment, the UN Human Rights Committee found that Australia has violated the international treaty obligation.

Australia has voluntary signed the international human rights treaties and the nation is bound to underlying obligations. Mr Saul said the committee has called on Australia to uphold its commitment in the human rights treaties.

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