Asylum seeker sent back to Nauru: report

Refugee advocates say a Somali asylum seeker transferred to Australia for an abortion is being sent back to Nauru.

An aerial view of Nauru

An aerial view of Nauru. Source: AFP

A female asylum seeker who was transferred to Australia for an abortion after being allegedly raped in Nauru is being sent back to the island, a refugee advocate says.

After making a public appeal to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to allow her to travel to the mainland for a termination, the 23-year-old Somali woman Abyan was brought to Australia and moved to Sydney's Villawood detention centre this week.

Lawyers preparing for an injunction to prevent her return were told on Friday that the woman had left the country, a refugee group says.

The Immigration Department is believed to be sending the woman back to Nauru because she declined to proceed with the abortion.

The Refugee Action Coalition has refuted the claim, saying the woman never indicated that she didn't want to go through with the termination.

"She wanted to talk to doctors to find out more about the termination procedures but never got the chance," Ian Rintoul from the coalition told AAP.

Mr Rintoul, who's been in contact with Abyan since she was transferred to Australia, said she was in a "physically and psychologically fragile" state.

"She must be brought back to Australia where she can get the treatment and care she needs," he said.

Comment is being sought from the Minister for Immigration, Peter Dutton.

Abyan is one of two Somali asylum seekers who say they were raped on Nauru.

Nauru police last week closed their investigation into claims a 26-year-old Somali asylum seeker was sexually assaulted, after the Nauru government said there was "insufficient evidence" to support the woman's claim.

The Nauru police said the case would be reopened if new evidence came to light.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has called for an independent investigation into the matter.

"It is hard to fathom a more brutal way of treating a scared young woman who has been raped and is struggling with the decision to terminate the pregnancy," Senator Hanson-Young said in a statement.

"Malcolm Turnbull must call his immigration minister into line. This beating up of vulnerable refugee women and abuse of their rights to lawyers, doctors and freedom has gone way too far."


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