Papua New Guinea’s Supreme Court has ruled that Australia’s practice of detaining asylum seekers on Manus Island is illegal.

Papua New Guinea’s highest court says the detention breached the country’s constitution.

The five-man bench has consequently ordered the PNG and Australian governments to immediately take steps to end the detention of asylum seekers in PNG.

Under Australia’s controversial immigration laws, anyone intercepted while trying to reach the country by boat is sent for processing to camps in Nauru and Manus Island. They are never eligible to be resettled in Australia.

More than 800 people are being detained on Manus Island on behalf of Australia. The detention centre houses about 500 people and has been widely criticised by the United Nations and human rights agencies for harsh conditions and reports of systemic child abuse.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said the ruling would not change its border protection policies.

”Australia was not a party to the legal proceedings,” he said.

“Those in the Manus Island Regional Processing Centre found to be refugees are able to resettle in Papua New Guinea. Those found not to be refugees should return to their country of origin.”

Australia’s asylum seeker policy has attracted international criticism from human rights groups.

|– with other agencies