Ties between the 2 nations soured in 2018 when Australia grew to become the primary nation to publicly ban China’s Huawei from its 5G community and worsened when Australia final 12 months referred to as for an inquiry into the origins of the novel coronavirus.
In a press release to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, China alleged the detention facilities “fall wanting satisfactory medical circumstances the place numerous immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers have been detained over a protracted time frame and even indefinitely, and their human rights have been violated.”
It didn’t specify any areas, describing them as “third nations.” Asylum seekers intercepted at sea en path to Australia are despatched for “processing” to Papua New Guinea or to the South Pacific island of Nauru.
Australia’s Division of Overseas Affairs and Commerce didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark outdoors regular working hours.
China itself has lengthy confronted accusations that it operates detention facilities, with UN specialists and rights teams estimating it has detained greater than one million individuals in its Xinjiang area, largely Uyghurs and different Muslim minorities, in an unlimited system of camps.
China has described the camps as vocational facilities designed to fight extremism.
“We urge Australia to right away shut down all offshore detention facilities and take concrete steps to guard the rights of immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers, particularly youngsters,” China mentioned in its assertion, which it submitted on behalf of a gaggle of unnamed nations.
It additionally referred to as on Australia to hold out “complete and truthful investigations” into reported instances of “severe warfare crimes” dedicated by Australian troops abroad.
An Australian inquiry revealed in November mentioned Australian particular forces had been suspected of killing 39 unarmed prisoners and civilians in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2016, drawing criticism from China’s overseas ministry.