Last-minute decision by Nauruan authorities to block MPs’ visit to Australian-run centre triggers accusations of an ‘undemocratic’ process

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

The government of Nauru has refused to grant visas to Danish politicians critical of Australia’s offshore detention system, triggering a diplomatic row.

The Danish foreign minister, Kristian Jensen has been drawn into the dispute with the Nauruan government and high level Australian officials.

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A cross-party Danish parliamentary group of six politicians has been in Australia since Saturday, as part of a long planned visit to examine Australia’s offshore detention system.

They met with Australian immigration officials while in Australia, and had planned to depart for Nauru on Tuesday to gain a rare glimpse on the Nauru detention facility. The Guardian understands that the delegation were given approval to visit the immigration processing centre in official correspondence with Australia and Nauru.

But their plans were thwarted when the arrived at Canberra airport on Tuesday to travel to Nauru via Brisbane and discovered three members of the delegation had been refused visas.

Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen, a progressive politician from the red-green alliance (Enhedslisten), has been openly critical of Australia’s detention system. She and Socialist People Party member Jacob Mark, who had also been critical of Australia’s policies, were two of the members who were declined visas. A third politician, who has not been publicly critical of Australia, Syrian-born conservative MP Naser Khader, was also denied a visa.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Danish MP Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen of the Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten) one of the MPs refused a visa to Nauru. Photograph: Mark Knudsen

Schmidt-Nielsen posted on Facebook: “The Danish delegation as a whole then cancelled their visit to Nauru. The government of another country should not be able to pick out members of a Danish parliamentary delegation. Such an action is deeply undemocratic.”

“The visit has been under preparation for a long time in cooperation between authorities form Denmark, Australia and Nauru. A detailed programme of the visit had been made.”

She said it was “anybody’s guess” why Khader had been denied access as well.

“It is totally unacceptable, antidemocratic and very telling of the situation on Nauru that critics are denied access.”

The decision to refuse the politicians visas is likely to intensity international scrutiny on Australia’s immigration detention system, following the publication of the Nauru files by the Guardian, and longstanding concerns over the secrecy of Australia’s detention regime.

Jensen tweeted on Tuesday he was working on resolving the matter. The Guardian understands he had been in contact with the Nauruan government’s foreign minister.

Kristian Jensen (@Kristian_Jensen) .@UM_dk kæmper for at skaffe adgang til Nauru for alle MF'ere. Vigtigt med adgang til at se lejrene ved selvsyn. #dkpol

Politicians from the Social Democratic party, the Danish People’s party and the governing Liberal party (Venstre) were still permitted to continue on to Nauru. But the remaining three politicians all declined to continue on to their visit to Nauru without the other three delegates.

The trip had been a secret for months until a Danish radio station 24syv broke news of the visit. It is costing the Danish government about AU$100,000.

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Heated debate has occurred in Denmark over how the country should respond to migration in Europe. Some far-right groups have urged the country to adopt a similar model to Australia’s system of offshore detention.

The Danish People’s party has suggested asylum seekers should be sent to Greenland or Tanzania as part of a similar offshore arrangement.

The Australian government has faced heavy international criticism over its management of the Nauru detention centre, as well as the extraordinary regime of secrecy it has put in place over the facility. Only a few handpicked journalists have been able to access the detention centre since it opened three years ago.

The government of Nauru has been contacted for comment.