Gillard's claims about Indonesian 'boy' prisoner misleading

Gillard's claims about Indonesian
'boy' prisoner misleading.

A leading advocacy group has hit back at claims by the prime minister that an Indonesian people smuggler, Ali Jasmin, is NOT a minor and deserves to be in an adult maximum security prison.

The chairman of the WA-based Indonesia Institute says Ms Gillard's comments were ill-informed, incorrect and intentionally misleading.

"Ms Gillard says Ali Jasmin has the right to appeal his sentence if he can produce proof that he is a minor. The PM has forgotten to mention that the boy has already appealed through a government appointed defense lawyer who has been in possession of (a copy of) the boy's birth certificate since 2010." Mr. Taylor said.

"The Department of Immigration (DIAC) was also given 'proof-of-age' documents by the Indonesian Consul-General's Office in Perth. But neither DIAC or the defense lawyer produced these documents to the original court hearing OR during the appeal."

Mr. Taylor said that his organisation is in possession of these documents, and in addition has a letter from the head of DFAT, Greg Ralf who states that....'Importantly, where there is any uncertainty about age, people smuggling crew are given the benefit of the doubt and are returned home to Indonesia'.

"If that is government policy, then why were the documents that show Ali Jasmin was born in 1996 not produced by the defense lawyer or DIAC to the court? And why was this boy not given 'the benefit of the doubt' and sent home?"

Mr. Taylor said that the irony of Ms Gillard's comments were that they were made just after she arrived into Perth from Albany-in the southwest of WA-where Ali Jasmin is locked-up with serious adult offenders. He has been in maximum security facilities for over two years.

"For the PM to flippantly say the boy 'is not a minor' without any understanding of the terrible injustice that has occurred here is deeply disturbing to me, my colleagues and hopefully to all fair minded Australians." said Mr. Taylor.

Mr. Taylor said that Ali Jasmin was only 13 when he was arrested off Christmas Island, whilst working on a boat as a cook and deck-hand. Jasmin is from an extremely poor and remote village near Flores in eastern Indonesia, and had committed no crime under Indonesian law.

"Jasmin needs to be pardoned now and sent home", said Mr. Taylor

ends

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