Christmas Island: Transferred Kiwis 'extreme risk'

  • 12/11/2015
Christmas Island: Transferred Kiwis 'extreme risk'

Seven New Zealanders accused of rioting at the Christmas Island asylum detention centre have been moved to a maximum security prison in Western Australia.

They allegedly smashed property and took part in the recent stand off against authorities, causing $1 million in damage.

A spokesman for Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says the seven men are considered "extreme risk".

A statement from Mr Dutton yesterday said the detainees were "travelling on a charter flight accompanied by security officers".

"Restraints are used where appropriate for the safety and security of detainees, staff and the aircraft."

Labour MP Kelvin Davis says after speaking to detainees he now has more information on what happened during the riots.

"They were shot at with, it might be ceramic pellets or something like that, they shattered when they hit the fence and people were sprayed with shrapnel," Mr Davis told the Paul Henry programme this morning. 

"The guy I was talking to, him and his friends were not resisting, they were lying on their faces on the ground with their hands behind their backs, they were punched, they were handcuffed, he was dragged out and thrown down some steps, his leg came to rest on a step and a guard stomped on it – in an apparent attempt to break it – he was then hit in the head with a shotgun butt. He was dragged outside, they were individually dragged outside by a couple of people and held while another guard punched him around."

Mr Davis says others at the detention centre are being penned in cages in breach of their human rights.

"They can get out of the cage if they agree to sign a form that enables the authorities to film them during a strip search."

He says he's working to find out more information about the seven men sent to Western Australia.

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