YAREN – A pregnant refugee who says she was raped on Nauru will return to Australia to talk to doctors about having an abortion, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says.

Dutton, Shorten agree Abyan’s privacy must be respected

The 23-year-old Somali woman, known as Abyan, will return for expert treatment, Mr Dutton said.

He declined to provide dates for her travel, telling Sky News: “It’s important that we respect her privacy.”

“She should come to Australia, not only to speak to a doctor in terms of the termination but also to seek mental health services,” he added.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has criticised the government’s handling of the case, saying it had been “mismanaged”.

In a statement, Mr Shorten said the woman needed to be treated with dignity.

“I have serious concerns about the way this woman has been treated by the government since she first made her request for a termination,” he said.

“This is a distressing and complex case and Abyan’s privacy must be respected. Labor is deeply concerned that the Liberal Government has mismanaged this case and the impact that this has had on this young woman.

“I have no idea why it took so long for this young woman to

get the help she needs.”

Key points:

- Pregnant refugee to return to Australia, Dutton says.

- Abyan will talk to doctors about an abortion, mental health issues.

- Shorten says the case has been “mismanaged” by the Government.

- Dutton, Shorten agree Abyan’s privacy must be respected.

The Nauruan government responded to coverage of Abyan’s case and requests for more media transparency by saying that allowing journalists on the island would prompt asylum seekers to “protest and riot”.

In a statement, justice minister David Adeang labelled the questions put to the government “ridiculous”.

“Nauru has no obligation to answer the Australian media,” he said.

“The Australian media approaches us with great arrogance and an air of racial superiority. In return, we have little respect for them.

“Nauru is safe, refugees are not being raped. But this truth doesn’t suit the activist journalists.”

Abyan was brought to Australia earlier this month seeking a termination.

She was later transferred to Nauru without medical treatment, but the reasons for the lack of termination remain contentious.

Earlier this month, the Immigration Department defended its handling of Abyan.

Dutton said she was transferred back to the Pacific island after telling medical staff she no longer wanted to go ahead with the procedure.

“We provided a charter flight for this lady to come to Australia, she received medical assistance and made a decision that she didn’t wish to go ahead with the procedure,” he said.

“I’m very, very concerned about the privacy of this lady, but I’m dragged into this debate to clear up what I think is a political motivation by some of the advocates.”

Dutton also dismissed reports that the woman did not receive medical treatment while in Australia.

Earlier on Wednesday the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) called on authorities in Australia and Nauru to do more.

Rupert Colville, a spokesman from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said the woman required further assistance.

“We call upon Australia and Nauru to urgently provide a decent option for Abyan to obtain adequate mental and physical care and to terminate her pregnancy if she desires,” Colville said in a statement.

“OHCHR has been in direct contact with her. Abyan is in a very fragile mental and physical condition and is deeply traumatised by her experiences since the day of the alleged rape.”

Dutton said the UN’s comments had no bearing on the decision to bring Abyan back to Australia.

He said his department had not held any discussions with outside agencies regarding the case, criticising advocates making comments based on social media posts.

“People haven’t sought the facts from us,” he said. - ABC