'I can't believe I'm free': the Canadian citizens ending the torment for Australia’s offshore refugees

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“I can’t believe I am free, I can walk around and do whatever I want.”

Amirhossein Sahragard hasn’t yet left the Toronto airport arrivals lounge when Guardian Australia speaks to him for the first time. He has found a Starbucks coffee and a phone plan, but is yet to see the outside of his new home country.

He is excited, exhausted and (repeatedly) expressing his disbelief at being there and not in Papua New Guinea, in detention, sick and distressed, punished for seeking asylum.

The 27-year-old Iranian was sent to PNG’s Manus Island after he sought asylum in Australia by boat. He has spent six, nearly seven years in offshore detention under Australia’s infamously harsh refugee policies.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/nov/04/i-cant-believe-im-free-the-canadian-citizens-ending-the-torment-for-australias-offshore-refugees

Iranian refugee Amirhossein Sahragard

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