PNG Police arrest Iranian Kurdish journalist and asylum seeker Behrouz Boochani

Iranian Kurdish journalist and asylum seeker Behrouz Boochani was arrested today by Police in Papua New Guinea's Manus Island for his role in discouraging fellow refugees to vacate the already shut down Regional Processing Centre.

Police boss David Yapu confirmed the arrest had nothing to do with Boochani’s profile and role as a journalist in an attempt to silence his reporting on the issues from within the centre.
Boochani was among another 37 refugees who were ordered out of the centre to their new temporary centre today while the others remain in the closed centre.

“No force was used to remove the refugees but it was difficult to convince them out of the condemned centre,” said PPC Yapu.
Mr. Yapu said Boochani is the first of the ring leaders arrested for leading other refugees in resisting to evacuate the centre and others who have been identified will be arrested in the following days.