The head of the UN refugee agency in Indonesia says paying people smugglers to turn back runs counter to the tradition of rescue at sea and the refugee convention.
Thomas Vargas, the Indonesia representative for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said the practice could actually encourage people smugglers and would not work.
Mr Vargas said a UNHCR staff member interviewed asylum seekers aboard vessels that allegedly turned back to Indonesia after Australian officials paid crew members $US30,000.
"At one point they saw the boat captain receive a thick envelope and return back to two boats that were then turned away to the open sea. And several days later they arrived in Indonesia," he told ABC television.
"They identified boats as being customs boats and navy boats."
The Australian government has refused to confirm that this actually occurred.
Mr Vargas said the UNHCR did not condone governments taking this kind of approach.
"It's certainly ... against the tradition of rescue at sea, against the tradition and the conventions on rescue at sea, and at the law of the sea as well as the refugee convention," he said.
Mr Vargas said where people were in need and distress at sea, they should be rescued and brought to land first and foremost.
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