Ruth Halbert
artist, weaver
Paper boat Rud.jpg

Blog: Dear Prime Minister

On July 30 2016 I started writing letters to the Prime Minister of Australia to protest against the imprisonment and torture of the asylum seekers in the offshore detention centres of Manus Island and Nauru. I started with the intention of writing a letter a day for every person in detention until they are all freed. There are more than 1800 asylum seekers in off shore detention. These are those letters and any response from Mr Turnbull.

End our inhumanity

Dear Prime Minister,

The suffering of Azzam El Sheikh continues. He has had nothing to eat for a week and no treatment, not even basic pain relief, for his injuries. Today it is reported that a doctor was bribed/threatened by ABF to sign a document that Azzam is fit to fly despite not examining him. The video of Azzam's appeal to you has been viewed more than 12000 times.

Is this how Australia is going to deal with all the detainees on Manus and Nauru? Torture them by withholding food and medical care, having electricity cuts, restricting all attempts at self-care and dignity, to try to break them one-by-one? Is that your solution, Prime Minister?

Ruth HalbertComment