Responding to comments by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton today that “human error” was to blame for his department putting Hakeem al-Araibi’s life at risk, Amnesty International Australia campaigner Tim O’Connor said:
“It’s simply not good enough to scapegoat a single person for what is a systemic failure.
The fact is that a person’s life was put at serious risk by a department whose systems completely failed.
Amnesty International Australia campaigner Tim O’Connor.
“The fact is that a person’s life was put at serious risk by a department whose systems completely failed. When the Interpol red notice that led to Hakeem’s arrest in Thailand was finally challenged, it was rescinded within 24 hours. If the system worked, he would never have been put in jail for 76 days.
“This new evidence shows the system failure has not been addressed and could easily happen again with potentially disastrous consequences unless there is an immediate open and transparent independent inquiry.
“The default setting for Home Affairs is to punish instead of protect, as is clear from this latest evidence on Hakeem’s case. An independent inquiry is urgently needed to ensure no other person is ever put in this danger by the failings of our Government.”
