‘Nightmare’ Australia Home Locking is called a human rights violation

Melbourne, Australia – The Sudden lockout this summer Of the nine public housing towers in Melbourne, the investigation found that 3,000 people were denied adequate food and medicine and fresh air during the city’s second corona virus outbreak, in violation of human rights law.

Report, The ombudsman in Melbourne’s capital, Victoria, said on Thursday that residents had been placed under house arrest for 14 days without warning in July. This deprived them of essential support and access to activities such as outdoor exercise, the report said.

Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass wrote that the lock-up “does not comply with the human rights of residents, including their right to humanitarian treatment when they lose their liberty.” The report recommended a public apology to the tower residents, as well as improving relations and practices in similar high-risk hostels in the city so they may be better prepared for future explosions.

Although Australia has won globally Fame For successfully reducing the spread of the corona virus in the country, the report strongly condemned the decision of the state authorities to use drastic measures against the residents of public housing. They felt trapped and shocked And discrimination is suspected. Many described it as a “dream”.

“We grew up here; We were born here, ”a resident, who was not identified by his real name in the statement, told investigators. “Are we in a safe place anymore or not?” “We felt we were unworthy.”

The report was a reminder that such measures were seldom used equally and at great cost to the economically disadvantaged. Many of the inhabitants of the towers are minorities or immigrants. Some residents noted that it was difficult to get out because police officers had gathered around the towers.

Speaking about the occupants of the towers, the report stated: “Some endured civil wars and dictatorships before settling in Australia, while some survived torture at the hands of their former government. For them, the excessive presence of the police was particularly shocking. “

Victorian Prime Minister Daniel Andrews will become one of the world’s toughest and longest-serving locksmiths when he threatens to boost Australia’s progress in mitigating a second wave of epidemics. It lasted 111 days, deceiving the already exhausted and winter-weary Melbournees that he earned both By vitriol And Support From the public.

Mr. Andrews said the government had no choice and that its actions were based on better public health advice.

“There is no rule book for this, and no one in Victoria has done this before,” he told a news conference in Melbourne on Thursday. “We took the steps that experts said were necessary to save lives.”

Investigators found that although the state’s chief executive officer had signed an order approving the lockout, he was unaware of the government’s plans to implement it immediately. The report said that only 15 minutes were allowed to review the terms of several documents and their human rights implications before the locked details were made public.

“In a crisis, we may be tempted to see human rights as costly in an effort to save human lives,” the report warned. “This thinking will lead to dangerous territory.”

Ebion Hassan, 32, who lives in one of the towers on the outskirts of northern Melbourne, lost his father to the corona virus in late July, saying he was “not surprised by the human rights abuses”.

He and other residents said they were very disappointed with the lack of government services after the lockdown.

“Everyone is trying to heal and recover,” he added. “Apologies are the least they can do.”

Australian authorities hope to allow the virus to be manipulated “Covid-Normal” Christmas. The state of Victoria was in late November Effectively deleted The corona virus, for the second time, has now gone 48 days without new, domestically spreading cases.

But on Wednesday and Thursday, in a sign of the virus’s persistence, 17 new cases appeared on the north coast of Sydney, Australia’s largest city, ending the city’s two – week hiatus without new, locally contagious infections. And coercion Closing some maintenance homes.

Despite the report’s findings, the Victorian state government said its actions were “integrated” in helping to slow the spread of the disease.

Officials “acted at all times within the legislative framework that is legally applicable,” Planning and Housing Minister Richard Wayne said in a statement Thursday.

“We don’t apologize for saving lives,” he said.