Legal Battle Ensues as Australia Refuses Repatriation of Daesh Wives and Children
The repatriation of 11 wives and 20 children of Daesh fighters from a detention camp in northeast Syria to Australia hangs in the balance as the country’s Home Affairs Department has decided against their return. This decision has prompted charity Save the Children Australia to launch a legal battle, arguing that the detainees’ continued detention is unlawful and raises questions about the inconsistency in previous repatriation decisions.
Save the Children Australia has taken the case to the High Court in Melbourne, seeking a court ruling that compels the Australian government to bring the women and children back home. The charity emphasizes the dire conditions in which these individuals are detained, highlighting the compromise to their health, safety, and dignity. They have been living in the Al-Hawl and Al-Roj camps in northeastern Syria since Daesh’s territorial defeat in 2019.
Contrary to Australia’s stance, other Western countries, including France, Canada, and the US, have already repatriated their citizens from similar camps in Syria. The charity Save the Children is requesting a writ of habeas corpus, arguing against the unlawful detention of the group in question.
Save the Children Australia’s Chief Executive, Mat Tinkler, expressed his hope for the swift repatriation of the families and criticized the Australian government for failing to bring all of its citizens home to safety. Tinkler, who has witnessed the conditions in the camps firsthand, described the situation as one of the worst in the world for children. With extreme temperatures ranging from scorching heat in the summer to freezing cold in the winter, the detainees continuously endure unimaginable hardships.
As the legal battle unfolds, the fate of these women and children remains uncertain. The international community will be closely watching the court’s ruling, which carries significant implications for the repatriation of citizens with alleged ties to extremist groups.
