Imprisoned asylum seekers awarded refugee status

Two asylum seekers imprisoned for 3 months after arriving in New Zealand on false documents have now been awarded refugee status in New Zealand. The pair were locked up in Mt Eden prison and treated as criminals which the Asylum Seekers Support Trust says left them quiet, scared and distrusting when they were finally released. The general manager of the Trust, Tim Maurice says there was no need for asylum seekers to be detained longer than the 28 days it takes to process claims and that the decision to release them from prison is made by Immigration NZ.