The High Court of Australia has agreed to hear a challenge to the indefinite detention of asylum seekers considered to pose a security risk.
The urgent hearing has been set for June 18.
More than 50 men, women and children in Australian immigration detention centres have been determined as genuine refugees but cannot be released into the community.
The High Court has agreed to hear a challenge by lawyers for a Sri Lankan man who has been in detention for three years.
His lawyers say indefinite detention is unlawful, and he has been denied procedural fairness because he has not been allowed to know what the adverse assessment is based on, and cannot challenge it.
If successful, his move could put an end to the controversial practice of detaining asylum seekers indefinitely over security concerns.
One of the difficulties in the case will be how to deal with the transcripts of interviews between the man and officers from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.
The Human Rights Commission and lawyers for a second asylum seeker in a similar position will seek leave to intervene in the case.
radioaustralia.net.au
