A Kurdish refugee who was medically evacuated from Manus Island last year has been removed from a hotel in Melbourne overnight.
We don't know why, or what will happen to him.
Musician Farhad Bandesh had been staying at the Mantra Hotel in Preston, which is one of several sites that's been turned into a makeshift immigration detention centre in recent months.
The dozens of refugees and asylum seekers at the hotel have been protesting about the conditions at the hotel, citing concerns they could be infected with COVID-19 - including Mr Bandesh.
The Australian Border Force issued the following statement to Breakfast in regards to Farhad Bandesh:
• The Department does not comment on individual cases.
• No detainees in immigration detention facilities have tested positive to COVID-19.
• Infection control plans are in place and plans to manage suspected cases of COVID-19 have been developed and tested.
• The ABF, and service providers, remain focussed on the health and safety of all detainees and staff during this time. We continue to follow the advice of the Department of Health and other health officials.
Guests:
Craig Foster, former Socceroos captain and refugee advocate
David Bridie, musician
Producer: Eleni Psaltis
In this episode