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The decision by an Australian state to lock up more than 3,000 people in public housing towers violated human rights, declared Victoria Ombudsman Deborah Glass.
The restrictions were imposed on July 4 in response to an increase in coronavirus cases in the city of Melbourne.
Residents of eight apartment blocks were confined to their apartments for five days, but the ninth tower, which had the highest number of infections, went through a total lockdown for two weeks.
Some residents were left without food or medicine, while many others waited more than a week to leave, according to the report.
Victoria’s acting health director had just 15 minutes to consider and approve the shutdown, including potential human rights impacts, Glass said in her report released today.
“The hasty confinement was not compatible with the human rights of the residents, including their right to humane treatment when they were deprived of liberty … the action appeared to be against the law,” he said.
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The Victoria state government admitted mistakes were made but said decisions were made to ensure the safety of residents.
“We make no apologies for saving people’s lives, absolutely no apologies for saving people’s lives,” Victoria State Housing Minister Richard Wynne told reporters.
It was not immediately clear if the findings would open any legal recourse for residents to go after the government.
Victoria was put under a statewide lockdown days after authorities closed the towers to contain new outbreaks, but has since effectively cleared the virus due to the lockdown.
No new cases have been reported in the state for 48 days in a row until today.
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