OZschwitz gulag: Refugee's lawyer thrown out of hearing

A FORMER diplomat who represents Iraqi detainees at Sydney's Villawood Immigration Detention Centre was removed from one of his client's hearings against his will.

Mohamed Al Jabiri, a former Iraqi ambassador to Spain and a prominent figure at the United Nations, was acting for Ahmed Shahab Aldoury on Monday.

Mr Aldoury travelled to Australia after his family was murdered in Iraq and his house burnt down.

He arrived on Christmas Island this year after travelling with people smugglers but was issued a certificate by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in 2008 asserting his refugee status.

At the end of the his assessment in Villawood, which will determine if he is allowed to stay in Australia, Dr Al Jabiri was asked to speak.

Witnesses at the hearing said the assessor in charge of proceedings had interrupted the lawyer as he began his address with: ''I don't mean to be rude …''

Dr Al Jabiri challenged the assessor's impartiality along with previous decisions she has made in other clients' cases.

The assessor allegedly turned off the recording device used in the hearing and said: ''This hearing is now adjourned … I want these people removed from here.''

Two security guards escorted Dr Al Jabiri and his team from the detention centre.

''I was extremely shocked,'' he said. ''I would never believe anything is happening like that in Australia, with my age and reputation.

''I can't believe she has the power to remove a lawyer and she is not a member of the court. This has never happened to me before.''

An Immigration Department spokesman disputed the version of events given by Dr Al Jabiri and witnesses.

''A legal representative behaved inappropriately, which resulted in the termination of proceedings,'' he said.

''The lawyer involved became verbally abusive to the independent merits reviewer.''

A Franciscan nun, Sister Aileen Crowe, was at the hearing and denies the department's version of events. ''I was very disturbed by the way he was treated,'' she said.

Dr Al Jabiri has been contacted by barristers who want to challenge the assessor's decisions in the High Court.

Australian Lawyers Alliance director Greg Barns said the incident raised questions about the administration of detention centres.

''One of the problems with the detention system is that you have these relatively secret hearings,'' Mr Barns said.

''It makes one wonder what happens to other detainees that come before decision-makers who don't have legal representation.

''It is highly disturbing, and it is a breach of the rights of asylum seekers and the rights of a lawyer.''

LNK

OZschwitz gulag: Refugee's lawyer thrown out of hearing

OZschwitz gulag: Refugee's lawyer thrown out of hearing

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Via AnCaps: Law & Enforced Unnatural Order