Former Nauru president Sprent Dabwido called for an end to detention on the island and expressed regret for making an agreement with the Gillard Government to re-open an offshore processing centre there, which has since led to the deaths of refugees. Mr Dabwido is currently in Australia, having sought asylum himself. Dabwido is among a group of former politicians called the ‘Nauru 19’ who were involved in a protest against a government crackdown on MPs in 2015. The Nauru Government sought to convict and jail the protesters.
Rallies were held on Palm Sunday in capital cities and regional centres across Australia calling for an end to the offshore detention of asylum seekers.
In the United States, the Justice Department decided that asylum seekers who have proven a credible fear for their safety will no longer be able to ask a judge for bond release. This decision could mean more migrants are indefinitely detained while they wait for their cases to be heard.