PNG Supreme Court Says Detention Of Asylum Seekers On Manus Island Is Illegal - What Now?

The Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea has made a ruling that might change the way Australia houses asylum seekers.

According to ABC News, the five-man bench of PNG’s Supreme Court ruled that Australia’s detention of asylum seekers on Manus Island is illegal; a breach of personal liberty and their freedom of movement, as held in the PNG constitution.

Part of their decision involved a description of "razor wire" fences at the detention centre to hold "men, women and children" against their will.

PNG Supreme Court describes razor wire fenced centre where people “held against their will” https://t.co/3MaQ3Bisn2 pic.twitter.com/kt9koljh8E

— Mark Di Stefano (@MarkDiStef) April 26, 2016

As a result, the Supreme Court has ordered the Australian Government – as well as Papua New Guinea’s Government – to take immediate steps to end detention of asylum seekers in PNG.

There are 850 men being held on Manus Island at this time.

Half of the residents of Manus Island’s detention centre have been found to be refugees. However, the Supreme Court’s ruling means that both refugees and those who were unsuccessful in applying for asylum seeker status (but are yet to return to their country of origin) are being held illegally.

Shortly after the ruling, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton reportedly told Sky News that those being held at Manus Island will not be coming to Australia.

Update: Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister announced on April 27 that Manus Island's detention centre will close, in response to the Supreme Court's ruling.

PM Peter O'Neill has said he will "immediately ask the Australian government to make alternative arrangements for the asylum seekers currently held at the Regional Processing Centre," The Guardian reports.

“As I stated recently at the at the Australian Press Club, we did not anticipate the asylum seekers to be kept as long as they have at the Manus centre," he added.

A timeframe for the centre's closure, and Australia's resettlement of the asylum seekers, will now be negotiated with Immigration Minister Peter Dutton.

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