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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Namita Singh

Outcry as Australian authorities detain Palestinian grandmother on security grounds

  • A 61-year-old Palestinian woman, Maha Almassri, who fled the conflict in Gaza, was detained in Sydney after Australian authorities cancelled her visa.
  • Her visa was "personally" cancelled by assistant minister Julian Hill following an assessment by the Security Intelligence Organisation, which deemed her a "risk to security" and stated her removal was "in the national interest."
  • Ms Almassri's family described her arrest as traumatic and unjust, asserting she poses no threat due to her poor health and previous security checks by both Israeli and Australian authorities.
  • Human rights lawyers criticised the lack of transparency and the practice of early-morning raids, questioning the feasibility of removing someone to Gaza given the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
  • The detention has sparked protests by her family, who fear the increasingly hostile climate towards Palestinians in Australia may be influencing immigration decisions, especially given similar recent visa cancellations.

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