Whistleblower Major General Paween Pongsirin has been urged to return to Thailand to pursue allegations of human trafficking against government officials. Pongsirin sought asylum in Australia after he received threats for uncovering alleged government links to the trafficking of Rohingya refugees.
Guardian Australia obtained 700 pages of Fazel Chegeni’s immigration department file, refugee who died in November on Christmas Island. Mr Chegani was detained for more than three years of the four he spent in Australia. Elsewhere in the detention network, 16 asylum seekers are on hunger strike in Darwin.
Angela Merkel signaled Germany will reduce its future refugee intake. Mrs Merkel has been subject to domestic political pressure after Germany registered approximately one million asylum seekers in 2015.
European leaders met to discuss a proposal to create a EU border and coastguard to address the ongoing flow of refugees and asylum seekers into the region. The meeting also provided a setting to discuss refugee quotas amongst the region.