Case No Country 26/04/11 AUS 1/2011 JAL Australia Mandate(s) Summary of the allegation transmitted Reply Health; Migrants Alleged mandatory detention of asylum seekers. According to information received, 26/06/11 mandatory detention for unauthorised arrivals was introduced through the Migration Amendment Act of 1992. The legislation was amended in 1994 (Migration Reform Act 1992) ensuring that asylum seekers arriving in Australia without prior authorization could be detained for unspecified and prolonged periods of time. Allegedly, as of March 2011, there were 6500 people in immigration detention in Australia, as many as 1000 of these children. Some have reportedly been held in detention for as long as 7 years. In 2008 the Australian Government launched new guidelines according to which immigration detention should be used for the shortest practicable period and asylum seekers should only be held in detention while their health, identity and security checks are conducted. However, these guidelines are reportedly yet to be implemented. Allegedly, there are no possibilities to challenge the legality of the detention in a court. 26/04/11 CHN 11/2011 Arbitrary JUA detention; China Freedom of expression; Human rights defenders Alleged detention of human rights defender. According to the information received, on 7 23/06/11 April 2011, Ms. Ni Yulan, human rights defender, and her husband, Mr. Dong Jiqin, were taken into police custody from their room at the Yu Xin Gong Hotel, Beijing, where they had been living. They were allegedly detained for “creating a disturbance” and held at the Xicheng District Detention Centre, but they had not been formally arrested, and therefore had not been brought before a judge or permitted access to a lawyer. Their daughter, Ms. Dong Beibei, was allegedly held by police and questioned for up to two hours before being released. Ms. Ni Yulan and her husband were the subject of an earlier communication (see above, case no. CHN 1/2011). Ms. Ni Yulan was also the subject of another communication (see A/HRC/10/12/Add.1, para 609). 26/04/11 MEX 8/2011 AL Mexico Supuesto otorgamiento de concesiones mineras en sitios sagrados. Según la información 19/07/11 recibida, el Gobierno de México ha otorgado 22 concesiones mineras de exploración de plata en la zona de Wirikuta, pueblo Real de Catorce, estado de San Luis Potosí. Estas concesiones fueron compradas por la empresa canadiense First Majestic Silver Corp en noviembre de 2009. El área de las concesiones abarca el lugar donde los wixárika por más de 1000 años han recreado anualmente el camino de los antiguos kakauyarixi, los antepasados quienes según las creencias wixárika dieron nacimiento al mundo. Se alega que las concesiones fueron otorgadas sin consultar previamente al pueblo indígena wixárika (huichol) cuyos sitios sagrados serán afectados por el proyecto minero. Véase las observaciones del Relator Especial sobre esta situación en A/HRC/18/35 Add. 1. Indigenous peoples A/HRC/18/51 94 Date Type