MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Australian Human Rights Commission approved a government proposal to shelter an additional 12,000 refugees fleeing the violence in Syria and Iraq, head of the commission Gillian Triggs said Thursday.
“We welcome what I think is a generous response that reflects the feeling of the Australian people,” Triggs said in an interview with ABC news.
The new figure comes in addition to its current commitment of 13,750 refugees for 2015.
Millions of refugees from Syria, currently in a state of civil war since 2011, are seeking asylum in the European Union and other countries, such as Australia.
There are some 30,000 asylum seekers in Australia, whose refugee status has not been assessed, according to Triggs. Many Syrians are currently residing in Australia’s offshore detention camps in Manus Island and Nauru, facilities repeatedly criticized by human rights groups for dangerous and unhealthful living conditions.
