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Australian state government criticized for holding teenage rioters in adult jail

Xinhua, December 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

Teenagers as young as 16 could be detained in adult jail for a year or more if a legal challenge to the government's controversial decision fails, according to lawyers in Australia's Victoria State.

The Human Rights Law Center and the Fitzroy Legal Service argue the Victorian government acted unlawfully in moving the children - who they say are on remand - to the adult prison after two youth detention facilities were trashed during separate riots in September and November.

"Children do not belong behind the same razor wire as Victoria's most notorious criminals," Human Rights Law Center advocacy director Ruth Barson told reporters before the first day of the Victorian Supreme Court trial on Monday.

"Our clients tell us their health is declining, they're spending long periods in isolation and they're handcuffed when taken to the outdoor visitor center."

In September, inmates in the Parkville youth detention center, in Melbourne's inner suburbs, went on a violent rampage, injuring three fellow detainees and causing significant damage to the center. Windows were shattered and doors smashed during the incident, which forced staff to barricade themselves in an office.

Two months later, 40 inmates were involved in another riot, damaging property and refusing police calls to come off the roof, where they were protesting.

That recent incident prompted Victorian officials to take the inmates out of Parkville and move them to the adult prison at Barwon, near Geelong, while the youth detention center was repaired and made more secure.

Victoria's Premier, DanielAndrews, told Parliament in November the teenagers belonged in Barwon's Grevillea unit.

"There has been some criticism of the government's decision to relocate those prisoners to that facility but we make no apology for doing that," he said. "I don't think you could see a more powerful demonstration of our resolve to keep our staff safe and to keep the community safe than our decision to relocate these offenders who have behaved appallingly to Barwon Prison."

Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos said at the time a "significant number" of the inmates would be temporarily transferred to an adult prison while the damaged facility was "strengthened".

Sources say the damage bill for the two incidents amounted to 750,000 U.S. dollars, a bill which will be picked up by the state's taxpayers. Enditem