Aust. lawyers complain to UN over criminal's deportation

[Happy]

From ABC, January 2, 2007


AUST LAWYERS COMPLAIN TO UN OVER CRIMINAL'S DEPORTATION


Melbourne lawyers have filed an official complaint with the United Nations about the deportation to Sweden of an Australian-raised criminal.
Thirty-three-year-old Stefan Nystrom was born in Sweden while his mother was holidaying there; he has lived in Australia since he was 25 days old.
He was deported over the weekend after the High Court upheld the Immigration Department's decision to cancel his permanent residency because he has more than 80 criminal convictions.
The director of the Human Rights Law Resource Centre, Phillip Lynch, has filed a complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee.
He says the Australian Government has breached Nystrom's fundamental rights under the International Covenant of Political and Civil Rights.
"He is, for all intents and purposes, other than those considered by the Minister, a fully integrated member of the Australian community," Mr Lynch said.
"Most importantly, he's been socialised, and, if you like, has been criminalised and certainly conducted all of his criminal activity in Australia."
Mr Lynch says the Government is deporting its home-grown problems.
"It was merely an accident of history that Mr Nystrom was born in Sweden," Mr Lynch said.
"His mother was holidaying there at the time and he was born there because she was too late in her pregnancy to return to Australia.
"He returned to Australia aged 25 days and has spent the the remainder of his 33 years in Australia, having never left the country."
Mr Lynch says Nystrom is a fully-absorbed member of the Australian community and the Federal Government is legally obliged to treat him as a citizen.
"The committee has been asked to request that Australia reinstate Mr Nystrom's permanent residency visa," Mr Lynch said.
"And further, that in accordance with the standards applicable under Australian domestic law, that he be paid compensation for his pain and suffering and loss."



ARRIVAL IN SWEDEN 'SHOCKING'

Nystrom's mother, Britt Nystrom, says Nystrom arrived in Stockholm on Saturday and was not given any help by either the Australian or Swedish governments.
"We thought someone would be there from the Swedish Government or something but nobody turned up," she said.
"He was just walking around at the airport, he didn't know anything - I mean, he doesn't speak any Swedish.
"I know a lot of people speak English, but it must have been a shocking thing for him.
"He got very, very upset, he just wanted to come back to Australia.
"My father-in-law and sister-in-law had been notified he was going to come, so luckily they arrived."

Cynical comment could be – he was such a good business provider – 80 cases in 33 years, or less as he couldn’t start that early.

Imagine how many court cases our lawyers are gonna miss if he is not here?

 

[Julia]

Cynical comment could be – he was such a good business provider – 80 cases in 33 years, or less as he couldn’t start that early.

Imagine how many court cases our lawyers are gonna miss if he is not here?

True, I guess. And, much as we don't want him here, it seems a bit unfair to export our rubbish to Sweden.

Julia

 

[theasxgorilla]

Yes, Sweden has enough of it's own rubbish

On topic though, this seems ridiculous doesn't it??

 

[Happy]

From ABC, January 2, 2007


RUDDOCK DEFENDS DEPORTATION DECISION


Acting Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock has defended the deportation of an Australian-raised man because of his criminal history.
Thirty-three-year-old Stefan Nystrom was born in Sweden while his mother was holidaying there; he has lived in Australia since he was 25 days old.

He was deported over the weekend after the High Court upheld the Immigration Department's decision to cancel his permanent residency because he has more than 80 criminal convictions.
The director of the Human Rights Law Resource Centre, Phillip Lynch, says the Australian Government has breached Nystrom's fundamental rights under the International Covenant of Political and Civil Rights.
But Mr Ruddock says since Mr Nystrom was convicted of offences including arson and aggravated rape, he would have been warned that he could face deportation.
"If people continue to commit offences in the light of warnings of that type, and there is a considerable risk to the Australian community and they are a non-citizen, removal is always a possibility," he said.
"People have to be cognisant of that."

People have choices, he was warned, looks that he have had 79 chances to change, or more, as I don’t believe for one second that he offended 80 times in total, this is only number of convictions.

 

[robert toms]

I can think of much worse fates than being shanghied to Stockholm...the people mainly speak English ...and I am sure that he will not be left to starve whilst finding legitimate employment.He has got a chance to start a new life....if only he will see it that way.

 

[Julia]

People have choices, he was warned, looks that he have had 79 chances to change, or more, as I don’t believe for one second that he offended 80 times in total, this is only number of convictions.

Happy, I'm not disagreeing about his undesirability. I was just looking at it from Sweden's point of view - although legally obviously he is considered "one of theirs", Australia has for all intents and purposes "bred him". I'm not sure we'd be thrilled if the Swedes sent us a similar criminal if the situation were reversed.

Julia

 

[Rafa]

what i want to know is, why didn't he take up Australian citizenship after all these years here???

 

[mrWoodo]

Agreed - His permanent residency visa would have needed renewal every few years, so it's not something that he would 'forget'. Probably too busy with arson, burglary and rape! Poor Swedes

 

[Happy]

Or maybe he didn’t get it because of his character.

Convicted criminals cannot get some jobs as convicted rapists, so maybe he was prevented from becoming one of us.



Possibly best solution would be UN managed Crimlandia State for such cookies.

 

[Rafa]

Isn't that what Australia was meant to be 100 years ago...!

 

[chicken]

what i want to know is, why didn't he take up Australian citizenship after all these years here???

That should have been done by the mother when she came back to Australia....makes life so much easier to be Australian...and dealing with Australian goverment departments...should have been done 33 years ago...but as he lived all his life in Australia..do agree with the lawyer....he is infect an Australian...only born in sweden...and should have been registered as soon as they arrived back from Sweden...