A formal complaint against multinational security contractor G4S has been lodged, more than seven months after an Iranian asylum seeker was killed at the centre.
The death of 28-year-old Reza Berati is detailed in the complaint - made under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises – as an example of the contractor failing to meet international standards.
The complaint has been lodged in both Australia and the UK by the UK based Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID).
The complaint in full can be read at the end of the article.
‘G4S cannot evade responsibility simply because those violations are sanctioned by the Australian Government’
In a statement, RAID executive director Patricia Feeney said companies had a responsibility to ensure human rights weren't being violated.
“G4S Australia and its parent company in the UK have a responsibility under the OECD Guidelines not to cause or contribute to human rights violations,” she said.
“G4S cannot evade responsibility simply because those violations are sanctioned by the Australian Government.”
The complaint was also lodged by Australian-based Human Rights Law Centre, whose director of Advocacy and Campaigns Rachel Ball voiced concerns over G4S’ involvement in the February violence that killed Mr Berati.
In a statement, Ms Ball said the company’s locally employed security guards “participated in some of the worst violence against asylum seekers”.
“In addition to the violence, the regime of indefinite, arbitrary detention on Manus is itself a violation of international human rights law and conditions under G4S' watch were consistently reported to be cruel and inhumane,” she said.
‘G4S' locally employed security guards participated in some of the worst violence against asylum seekers’
A review into the February violence, conducted by former public servant Robert Cornall, stated that 69 people had been injured during the February riots.
It detailed the violence against asylum seekers, stating that Mr Berati “suffered a severe brain injury caused by a brutal beating”.
In addition to violence, the complaint also detailed allegations relating to conditions.
"Due to its remote location and restrictions on entry and reporting imposed by the Australian and PNG governments, regular human rights monitoring of the conditions at the MIRPC has been extremely difficult," it read.
"... Organisations found that at the time of their visits, conditions at the Centre breached basic minimum standards of detention under international law and required urgent remediation."
G4S was contracted by the Australian government to oversee management and security at the Manus Island Centre between February 2013 and March 2014.
Transfield has now taken over security management at the centre.
A former guard and training officer, Martin Appleby, also spoke out against his former employer.
“G4S’ training and risk management processes were woefully inadequate,” he said.
“The company must shoulder some of the responsibility for the human rights abuses suffered by asylum seekers as a result.”
Further statements on the complaint are expected on Tuesday morning.
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