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Police carry out more raids on Save the Children staff at Nauru detention centre Police carry out more raids on Save the Children staff at Nauru detention centre
(35 minutes later)
Save the Children staff on Nauru have faced a second series of raids in a further bid to find journalists’ sources at the immigration detention centre on the island.Save the Children staff on Nauru have faced a second series of raids in a further bid to find journalists’ sources at the immigration detention centre on the island.
On Thursday morning the Nauruan police force sent in a team of police officers that searched buildings at RPC3 in the detention centre. On Thursday morning the Nauruan police force sent in a team of officers who searched buildings at RPC3 (Refugee Processing Centre 3) in the detention centre.
The Save the Children recreation office was searched. Laptops, personal phones, desktop computers and other devices were all seized. The welfare tent at the centre was also searched. Laptops, personal phones, desktop computers and other devices were seized after searches of the Save the Children recreation office and the welfare tent at the centre.
The Nauruan police force officers executed the search with a warrant, but it is unclear what the terms of it are and what offence they are investigating. The police had a warrant, but it was unclear what its terms were and what offence they were investigating. Guardian Australia understands Save the Children have not been made aware of the legal basis for the search warrant.
The raids were the second in recent weeks, following similar moves last Saturday by the police force. Related: Chris Kenny the first foreign news reporter in 18 months to be granted Nauru visa
Both were initiated after the Nauruan government was angered by a Guardian Australia report which disclosed emails from the Nauruan operations manager Berilyn Jeremiah about local journalists being allowed in to the detention centre. Police made similar raids last Saturday.
Earlier this month the Nauruan government was angered by a Guardian Australia report which disclosed emails from the Nauruan operations manager Berilyn Jeremiah about local journalists being allowed in to the detention centre.
Following the first search warrant the Australian immigration department said it was not made aware of the raids, and referred questions to the Nauruan government.Following the first search warrant the Australian immigration department said it was not made aware of the raids, and referred questions to the Nauruan government.
In a statement, a Save the Children spokeswoman said: “A second search warrant was executed by the Nauru Police Force this morning on a Save the Children office in Nauru, involving the seizure of some computers.”
“Save the Children has conducted a full internal audit that found there was no evidence the leaked email, which is understood to be the target of the warrants, came from our staff. Save the Children has utmost confidence that our staff have acted at all times with great integrity, compassion and professionalism in their work supporting vulnerable children and families.
“We continue to fully co-operate with Nauru police on this matter, and our priority remains working to mitigate the harmful impacts of offshore immigration detention, to the extent that the circumstances allow.
“We continue to provide around the clock support to children and their families whose care has been entrusted to us, and remain focussed on ensuring their care is transitioned smoothly to new service providers when our contract expires at the end of October. This is of course made harder by these kinds of disruptions.”
Just over a year ago nine Save the Children staff were summarily dismissed over unsubstantiated allegations they were facilitating protests and sending confidential information off the island.Just over a year ago nine Save the Children staff were summarily dismissed over unsubstantiated allegations they were facilitating protests and sending confidential information off the island.
A review into the allegations and other serious reports of assault on the island by former integrity commissioner Philip Moss found their dismissal should be reviewed.A review into the allegations and other serious reports of assault on the island by former integrity commissioner Philip Moss found their dismissal should be reviewed.