Pakistan’s high commission has called for early redress for one of its citizens held in “overstretched and uncomfortably prolonged detention” in Australia’s onshore immigration facilities.

The man, a 32-year-old who arrived in 2007 on a student visa, has been refused ministerial intervention in his case, despite acting as the primary carer for his partner. He is among the growing cohort of people inside detention on section 501 “character test” deportation orders.

Nauroze Anees came to Australia on a student visa in 2007, which was cancelled in 2011 for non-compliance.

He was refused a partner visa and has been in detention since October 2016, mostly at Yongah Hill outside Perth, and is facing deportation.

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Pakistan’s high commission told Guardian Australia it had raised Anees’s case “at appropriate levels” with Australian authorities, seeking early redress “as per the Australian laws”.

“This overstretched and uncomfortably prolonged detention has been causing him and his partner a lot of discomfort, mental stress and hardships,” the high commission said.

“It is pertinent to mention here that his partner, an Australian citizen, is suffering from severe mental challenges and Mr. Anees is her only support and carer.”

The unusual intervention from the high commission comes amid increasing scrutiny on the changing nature of Australia’s onshore detention network, and growing distaste among other countries – in particular New Zealand – about the increasing number of visa cancellations on character grounds.

It has also resulted in facilities becoming more securitised, and there have been widespread allegations of heavy-handedness by staff.

Anees has previously claimed to have been assaulted – physically and sexually – by guards at Yongah Hill, and suffers from mental illness.

He is now seeking legal redress for the alleged assault.

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“Our client was detained under orders through the federal government and placed in this facility where he has since been violated and it appears a blind eye has been turned,” said Kimberly Allen, abuse law solicitor for Shine Lawyers.

“It’s been four months since the incident and our client is still being forced to live in the same environment as his perpetrators where he is being continually stalked, intimidated and harassed.”

Anees’s visa was cancelled after he had met his partner while studying, falling “head over heels in love”, the administrative appeals tribunal heard in 2016. He learned his partner had complex mental health issues and as his focus shifted to caring for her, his studies suffered and he dropped out, losing his visa and eventually becoming homeless.

“After this, and over a period of about three years, there began a series of offences which escalated in seriousness” and included a jail term, the tribunal found, rejecting Anees’s appeal against the visa cancellation.

He is among the group facing deportation after jail, because the government has deemed them too risky to be in the community, even if a court found they could be released, having served their sentence.

Anees’s offences, which his legal team said occurred in the context of his homelessness, included convictions for theft, driving violations, and in 2011 recklessly causing injury for which he was sentenced to three months in jail.

Anees, who told Guardian Australia he was “extremely remorseful” about his past actions, had told the tribunal he was defending his partner against a group of youths who had physically assaulted her while they were at a cinema.

“I just want to have a fair go to have a life with my partner, to be able to care for her and provide what I promised – a bright future. This country was built on second chances,” he told Guardian Australia.

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“I’m not a rapist or terrorist or drug kingpin. How much punishment is enough? I’ve seen people die in detention. I’ve been assaulted myself. I’m extremely remorseful of my past actions.

“I can’t live without my partner, and she can’t leave Australia for medical reasons. I’m not after the riches of Australia’s economy, my only treasure is my partner.”

Anees’s lawyers had repeatedly sought to have him released into the community while his appeals were heard, the last of which was rejected by the federal court last week.

His case had also been referred by the department to the minister’s office for consideration of a bridging visa, but was rejected.

“Mr Anees’ last offence was committed in January 2013. For a period of almost four years, Mr Anees lived and worked in the Australian community without incident, and it was not until October 2016 that his visa application was refused and he was detained,” said his immigration lawyer, Leah Perkins.

“Mr Anees’ visa was refused because he was deemed by the Department of Home Affairs to be a ‘risk’ to the Australian community. Mr Anees has proven himself not to pose a risk to the community, yet he has now been detained for over two years in extremely harsh conditions,” Perkins said.

The Greens senator Nick McKim said he had been aware of Anees’s case for some time and had made representations to the minister’s office.

“Nauroze has been detained under unfair conditions, and suffered profound harm as a result,” he told Guardian Australia.

“Being detained for years without charge is a gross breach of his human rights.”

The immigration minister did not respond to a request for comment.