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.

Letters to Tyranny #1

Dear Prime Minister,

I am writing to you on behalf of the first asylum seeker who has been detained on Manus Island since XXX. His name is XXX XXX and he is XXX years of age. His country of origin is XXX.

I am concerned about two aspects of Mr XXX's detention. The first is that I believe it is contrary to The Universal Declaration of Human Rights especially since Article 14 (1) states "Everyone has the right to seek and enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution." The second is that it costs Australia more than $400000 per year per asylum seeker.

What will you do to ensure that Australia's obligation towards Mr XXX's asylum claim is carried out as rapidly and humanely as possible?

Yours faithfully

Ruth Halbert

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