Sydney – Australia | August 8, 2025
The United Nations Human Rights Committee has issued an urgent request to the Australian government to halt the planned deportation of a man to Nauru while it investigates the potential human rights implications of the move. This action comes after a complaint was filed with the UN body, arguing that sending the individual to Nauru would violate Australia’s international legal obligations.
The man, an Iraqi refugee, is one of several individuals facing deportation to the Pacific island nation under new Australian laws. The complaint, filed on his behalf by the Human Rights Law Centre, alleges that his deportation to Nauru would expose him to the risk of death, violence, medical neglect, and other inhumane treatment. The man would also face the threat of being returned to Iraq, where he fears persecution, and would be permanently separated from his family in Australia.
The UN’s intervention highlights growing international concern over Australia’s use of offshore processing. This is not the first time the UN has weighed in on the issue; earlier this year, the Human Rights Committee ruled that Australia retained responsibility for the arbitrary detention of asylum seekers transferred to Nauru, a decision that a state “cannot escape its human rights responsibility when outsourcing asylum processing to another State.”
Despite the UN’s urgent order, it is unclear whether the Australian government will comply. The government has previously stated that the deportations are lawful and are part of its broader immigration and border security policies. The case underscores the ongoing legal and ethical battle over Australia’s immigration policies and its adherence to international human rights treaties.
