Boochani: Australia's barbaric policy towards boat people

Behrouz Boochani, an Iranian Kurd refugee and author, has accused the Australian government of seeking to humiliate asylum seekers and take away their identity at a detention centre on the remote Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.

"You cannot justify this barbaric policy, you cannot justify violation of human rights," he told Hardtalk's Stephen Sackur.

The centre was closed in 2017 after a PNG court had ruled it was unconstitutional and Boochani and hundreds of others were relocated to other accommodation.

Australia has said its policies are necessary to deter dangerous attempts to reach the country by sea.

Watch the full interview on Thursday 5 December 2019 on BBC World News or watch again on BBC iPlayer (UK only)