The High Court of Australia has granted an interim injunction to stop 153 asylum seekers being returned to Sri Lanka.
In an urgent hearing in Sydney heard by Justice Susan Crennan, the Court granted an interim injunction after an application by refugee advocates, the ABC reports.
The injunction prevents the Australian Navy from returning Sri Lankan asylum-seekers to the “Sri Lankan government, its military or its agents.” It will stay in place until 4pm tomorrow when the matter will be heard by the High Court.
The order concerns 48 people who are named as Tamils, and seeks to protect a further 105 unnamed asylum-seekers who are also claiming to be Tamil refugees.
The Australian newspaper reports that barrister Ron Merkel, acting on behalf of the asylum-seekers, told the court, "This is a clear case where the commonwealth should not be able to risk the lives of those on the boat ... simply because they were unable to make a claim.”
More to come.
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