30 Dec 2003

UNHCR to begin reviewing its cases on Nauru this week

11:12 am on 30 December 2003

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says it will begin to review the cases of all the asylum seekers it processed on Nauru, this week.

The UNHCR's Pacific representative, Michel Gabaudan, says the decision to look again at some of the cases was made more than a month ago, well before the hunger strike began.

He says the situation in some areas of Afghanistan is such that there are now security concerns about sending people back there.

Mr Gabaudan says 22 failed asylum seekers who were processed by UNHCR and remain on Nauru, will have their cases reviewed.

"We will begin the review on files because we don't think we should subject people to more interviews than they've had in the past, if a decision can be taken on the basis of information we have in the file. If that information is not sufficient, and I mean by that, if that information would lead us to maintain a negative decision, then we would offer the person a new interview."

Mr Gabaudan says the UNHCR is continuing to have discussions with the Australian government about whether it will consider reviewing the cases it processed.

A total of 248 failed asylum seekers remain on Nauru and 45 mainly Afghani men are on hunger strike in a bid to persuade the Australian government to relook at their situation.