The Human Rights Alliance calls on the WA state government, and on the Commonwealth, for the en masse immediate release of all the Indonesian children incarcerated either by remand or judicial conviction in Western Australian prisons - and in particular HAKEA and Albany Regional Prisons.
Prison superintendents do not want children in adult prisons - they have told us so. Prison support workers and prison guards do not want children in adult prisons, they too have told us so. Many folk working in adult prisons continue to leak to us information because they are outraged that children are in Australian adult prisons.
Recently, after a long drawn out campaign three more Indonesian children have been released from Australian adult prisons, including 15 year old Ali Jasmin from Albany Regional Prison - however after having wasted formative years of their childhood in Australian adult prisons - having already served their non-parole periods – much damage has been done to them.
They were released after the hand of the Office of the Attorney-General was forced – pressure was piled - we have had to batter this government into doing what is right. At least 22 children continue to languish - and may be up to 50 or 60, however the 22 cases (children) before the Attorney-General should be released immediately, and a review immediately undertaken of all Indonesian prisoners in our prisons.
Western Australia continues to bear the brunt of the children in adult prisons.
No Australian adult prison should be at risk of incarcerating children within their jurisdiction.
Contacts: Natalie Flower, Human Rights Alliance
info@humanrightsalliance.org
0412 833 733
Gerry Georgatos – Researcher into Australian Deaths in Custody & the trauma of the Australian Prison System
gerry@nit.com.au
0430 657 309