Australia files defence in Lankan case

The Australian Federal Government has filed its

defence in the High Court case over 157 asylum seekers being held on an Australian Customs ship. ABC news reported.

The papers were filed almost 19 hours after the court deadline.

The High Court will hold another hearing today on the fate of the Sri Lankan Tamil men, women and children who have been detained at sea for more than a fortnight.

A document lodged with the court by the asylum seekers’ lawyers last week says they are being held against their will.

According to the defence documents, the Sri Lankans “do not have freedom of movement”, are living in rooms with no windows, and families on the ship have been split up with the women and children separated from their husbands and fathers.

Lawyers for the asylum seekers have told the High Court the group does not want to be taken to Sri Lanka, Nauru or Papua New Guinea but want to be sent to Australia or another country that “has assumed the international law non-refoulement obligations”.