26 Apr 2004

Nauru revokes visas for detainees lawyers at the last minute

7:21 am on 26 April 2004

Australian lawyers mounting a case against the detention of asylum-seekers on Nauru, have had their visas to the country revoked.

A Melbourne QC, Julian Burnside, and his legal team were to board a plane to the island last night, but were stopped by orders from the Nauruan government.

Mr Burnside says they were due in court in Nauru this afternoon, and had visas approved by the acting consul in Australia last week.

He told the ABC that he thought the Nauruan government had stopped him going to ensure the detainees remained and the detention camps continued as a source of income.

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