COVID-19 in immigration detention centres, Stop the Spread – Petition

Sign the petition to stop the spread of Covid19 in immigration detention centres. The petition was started by Human Rights for All calling for the immediate release of people being held in onshore immigration detention.

The Australian Government Department of Health lists ‘people in detention facilities’ as among those most at risk of serious infection of Covid19. We know that many people being held in immigration detention already have compromised health. Crowded conditions in the centres make social distancing and self-isolation impossible.  The essentials of basic hygiene such as hand washing facilities and hand sanitiser are inadequate. The first case of Covid19 in relation to immigration detention has been confirmed, with a guard working at a community detention facility in Brisbane testing positive for the virus. For more background see  here and here.

The Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases (Asid), the Australian College of Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC) and Doctors for Refugees are calling on the government to release people from closed  immigration detention to prevent the spread of Covid19.  As well, refugees and asylum seekers currently being held in immigration detention across Australia have written to the Prime Minister pleading to be released in light of the increased risk to their health from Covid19.  Please read this article from The Guardian Australia for further background.