Photos show bullets fired into Manus Island detention accommodation, not just air: Amnesty

Human rights group Amnesty International has found the Australian Government downplayed the danger asylum seekers on Manus Island faced when the detention centre was attacked by soldiers from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force.

Amnesty analysed photos and videos from the centre purportedly taken during the attack on Good Friday — April 14.

They showed bullets were fired into the accommodation area of the centre that night — directly contradicting the Government’s claims, in a statement from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, that they were fired into the air, the report found.

“I think we can say with a degree of certainty now that multiple shots were fired into the centre and that put people at risk,” researcher Kate Schuetze said.

“What we’ve had here was a very serious incident of violence outside the centre.

“It’s not the first shooting which has occurred at the Manus Island centre and it’s of course the second time now that the centre has been under attack from the outside, which really proves that the Australian Government and the Papua New Guinean Government cannot protect the safety of refugees and asylum seekers there.”

The human rights group said it had analysed 21 photos and six videos purportedly taken from inside the centre the night of the attack.

“The digital experts used reverse image search tools and corroboration with known photos of the centre to geolocate the images,” the report said.

“A military expert also reviewed the images and video”

Ms Schuetze said it appeared the Government sought to minimise the perceived risk to asylum seekers.

“We’ve had a lot of information come out very quickly, trying to downplay not only the incident and the risk that refugees were put in, but also to try and deflect attention from the actual causes around what happened,” she said.

‘Ultimately a matter for PNG Government’, Immigration Department says

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection said Amnesty International did not consult it about the report or seek a response.

“Consistent with previous Amnesty International reports, the Department has not been consulted nor provided an advance copy of this report,” it said in a statement.

“While this is ultimately a matter for the PNG Government, we cannot comment on a report we have not seen.”

Video more: Photos show bullets fired into Manus Island detention accommodation, not just air: Amnesty – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)