As Australia courts the UN, its harsh immigration policies face scrutiny

[unhappycamper]

http://www.dw.com/en/as-australia-courts-the-un-its-harsh-immigration-policies-face-scrutiny/a-18790579

Canberra has faced criticism for a case involving a pregnant Somali woman who claims she was raped in a detention camp. The controversy comes as the government launches its bid for the UN Human Rights Council.

As Australia courts the UN, its harsh immigration policies face scrutiny
19.10.2015

Australia launched its bid to join the UN Human Rights Council on Monday, as controversy over a case involving a Somali refugee drew attention to the country's hardline immigration policies.

The woman, known only as Abyan, claims she was raped and impregnated while on the South Pacific island of Nauru , where Australia sends many of its asylum-seekers. Last week, the woman was flown to Australia after requesting an abortion, but her lawyer said today Canberra abruptly sent her back to Nauru without performing the operation it had said it would.

Lawyer George Newhouse told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio he was in the midst of preparing a court order allowing her to stay in the country when he found out she had already been flown back to Nauru.

"When we heard an hour before she was being removed from the country without treatment -- that that was going to happen -- of course we tried to stop her from going back without treatment," Newhouse said.