PORT MORESBY (NZI / Pacific Media Watch): The Papua New Guinean government will on Wednesday make another Supreme Court bid to stop an investigation into alleged human rights abuses in Australia's Manus Island deportation facility.
The PNG government earlier asked that Justice David Cannings, who is heading the investigation, recuse himself from the inquiry on the grounds that Cannings was biased against the government because he previously adjudicated another court challenge to the centre.
But Cannings refused to step back and last week held a second fact-finding visit to the centre, this time taking with him a group of journalists - the first time the media had visited the centre since 2012.
Journalists were not allowed to interview any of the 1300 asylum seekers. Asylum seekers instead called out their grievances to the judge and media from afar.
Journalists observed that the centre looked like a "prison camp", that it was overcrowded and that the 1300 asylum seekers had no time outside but stayed locked up.
Radio New Zealand International reported that, following the visit, the PNG government applied successfully to the Supreme Court to have the inquiry halted. But Cannings immediately instituted a new inquiry. This Wednesday is the latest court showdown, as the PNG government seeks leave to appeal against Cannings' refusal to recuse himself.
Meanwhile, an Iranian news website reported that asylum seekers told the media that Iranian architect Reza Barati, who was killed in February in the centre, was "thrown off a balcony" by unknown men.
After he fell, the men continued to hit Barati in the head until he died, the asylum seekers reportedly said.
Barati was killed after Papuan New Guinean police entered the detention centre last month and opened fire, injuring 77 others.
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Pacific Media Watch
