13 Nov 2012

Amnesty International's Nauru visit to find reasons for processing delay

5:52 pm on 13 November 2012

Amnesty International Australia says one of the main aims during its visit to Nauru next week is to find out why asylum seeker processing has not yet begun.

Two refugee special9_rnzi.news.world/pacific-air

ists from the human rights watchdog will leave on Monday for a three-day investigation of conditions in Australia's detention centre on the island.

Nearly 400 asylum seekers are detained in the camp with disputed numbers taking part in a hunger strike in protest at Canberra's re-introduced offshore processing policy.

There have also been instances of self-harm in alleged grim conditions.

Amnesty's Alex Pagliaro says she and her colleague hope to get full access to the camp and conduct in-depth interviews with detainees.

"We really have all been in the dark about what's really happening there and what we think is the best way to get change and to get improvements on the island and also to the policy overall is to have as many Australians as possible aware of what is happening."

Alex Pagliaro says she will also look at the mental health services provided in the camp.