Mantra Bell City hotel Preston detainees to be moved to another location

Dozens of refugees and asylum seekers detained for more than a year at a Preston hotel have been left “devastated” after it was announced they were being moved to another location.

Asylum seekers protest at the Mantra Hotel in Preston earlier this year. Picture: AAP Image/Michael Dodge

Refugees and asylum seekers detained for more than a year at a Preston hotel have expressed devastation after Australian Border Force announced they were being moved to another location.

For the past 16 months, about 60 men have been detained at the Mantra Bell City hotel on Bell St, Preston after they were evacuated from offshore detention on Manus Island to receive medical treatment under the now-repealed medevac legislation.

Speaking from inside the hotel, Kurdish-Iranian refugee Mostafa “Moz” Azimitabar told Leader he was “devastated” refugees and asylum seekers were being relocated to another facility as they had been pleading for freedom for months.

It’s unclear where the men are being relocated to, but it’s understood it could be as early as Tuesday evening.

“My message to the government is that jail and detention belongs to people who are criminals, we are not criminals – we are people seeking safety and freedom,” Mr Azimitabar said.

“Some of our brothers that got a visa and I’m so happy for them. I see that when they get visas, we can as well as we haven’t committed any crimes.”

Refugee Mostafa “Moz” Azimitabar has been campaigning for freedom for months.

He said all the men wanted was to live with their family and friends.

“For some years, I have personally been in touch with people in Australia and I think people in Australia are wonderful, they are like my family now and I want to live with my family.

“My message to people in Australia is love because we are born to love and respect each other.”

Last week, Mr Azimitabar, an asthmatic, also revealed to Leader the men had been stripped of their basic human rights living within the facility.

“When we close the window, it’s difficult to breathe, we can only open the window up to 10cm but I can’t use the air conditioner, it creates some dust and it really kills me,” he said.

“I’m in my room 23 hours a day, they don’t pay any attention – they don’t know anything about our mental health conditions and they’re ignoring us.”

He said the men had also been subjected to loud, banging noises for several hours due to ongoing works at the hotel.

“The noise has been ongoing for 40 days, it’s affecting all of us and goes to our brain.”

On Monday night, dozens of people protested outside the Mantra hotel calling on the federal government to free the detainees.

An Australia Border Force spokesperson said the current lease at the Mantra Bell City Hotel Alternative Place of Detention (Melbourne APOD) expired shortly and would not be renewed.

“As a result, detainees will be transferred to another facility in Melbourne,” the spokesperson said.

“Details on transfers or locations are not provided ahead of time for operational and security reasons.”

The spokesperson said transitory people were encouraged to finalise their medical treatment in Australia so they could continue on their resettlement pathway to the United States, return to Nauru or PNG, or for those who are not refugees, return to their home country.

“In line with Australian Government policy, no one under regional processing arrangements will be settled in Australia.”

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