- Villawood Immigration Detention Centre
Villawood Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) is an
Australian immigration detention facility located in the suburb of Villawood inSydney ,Australia . The purpose of the facility, according to The Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, is to "mainly accommodate over-stayers, people in breach of their visa conditions, or people refused entry at Australia's international airports". It has been the focus of much controversy, with accusations ofhuman rights abuses.History
Villawood Immigration Detention Centre was opened in 1976.
In 2001 it was the subject of controversy when 40
asylum seekers escaped. A month later, a "Four Corners" documentary, "The Inside Story", revealed the plight of six-year-oldIran ianrefugee Shayan Bedraie, who had been refusing to speak or eat. Shayan and his family had been detained atWoomera IRPC for 11 months and Villawood IDC for at least 6 months, and had witnessed a number of riots and self-harm incidents. He was periodically taken to hospital to be drip-fed and rehydrated, and then returned to detention.As at 20 October 2004, the centre accommodated 551 people. This number comprised 405 adult men, 105 adult women and 41 children.
In January 2008, the
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) said the high-security section of Villawood Detention Centre was the "most prison like" of all Australia's immigration detention centres, and demanded it be closed immediately. The HREOC described the infrastructure as dilapidated, and conditions inside the detention centre as "harsh and inhospitable". [cite web | url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/villawood-targeted-as-worst-in-country/2008/01/09/1199554742688.html | title=Villawood targeted as worst in country | publisher="The Sydney Morning Herald " | date=2008-01-10 | accessdate=2008-01-10]Location
The centre is located at 15 Birmingham Avenue, Villawood NSW 2163. [cite web |url=http://www.immi.gov.au/managing-australias-borders/detention/facilities/locations/villawood/index.htm |title=Contact Details for the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre |accessdate=2008-09-05 |publisher=Department of Immigration and Citizenship]
References
ee also
*
List of Australian immigration detention facilities
*ChilOut External links
* [http://www.immi.gov.au/detention/facilities_villawood.htm Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs – Villawood Immigration Detention Centre]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/s344246.htm Four Corners – The Inside Story]
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