The Department of Home Affairs has denied a request by the UN to release a Tamil family facing deportation to Sri Lanka from detention on Christmas Island.
The UN Human Rights Committee notified the family’s immigration lawyer that it would push for the Australian government to release the family into community detention.
A spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs said the family will not be removed from Christmas Island.
“The family are residing on Christmas Island and will remain there whilst the judicial review proceedings are before the court,” the spokesperson said.