UNHCR expresses concern at Australia's settlement of Vietnamese asylum seekers

The United Nations refugee agency on Tuesday expressed concern over Australia's handling of a group of Vietnamese asylum seekers which the Australian Navy returned to Vietnam on the weekend.

The group of 46 asylum seekers arrived in Australian waters by boat but, contrary to normal procedure, the refugees had their claims assessed at sea, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

UNHCR spokesperson Vivian Tan said applicants for asylum, such as those in the Vietnamese group, were at risk of grave danger if they were not individually assessed in an environment where they could explain their needs.

"We're concerned that people may not have had access to proper procedures," Tan told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Tuesday.

"We are concerned that the group wasn't screened and assessed in a way that's fair and effective, that somehow their lives may be at risk," Tan said.

The group was reportedly offloaded by the Australian Navy at the Vietnamese port city of Vung Tau last Friday, local Australian media reports said.

The Australian navy routinely turns back boats carrying asylum seekers from Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. However, these boats are usually returned to Indonesia, where most of the sea voyages begin.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has refused to confirm that the Vietnamese asylum seekers had been turned back, citing a policy of secrecy surrounding the interception of people-smuggling boats attempting to reach Australian shores. Endi