Australia asked six countries to resettle stateless Rohingya man after he began high court challenge, lawyer says

The government’s duty to remove stateless Rohingya man, known as NZYQ, from Australia arose ‘well over’ three years ago, his lawyer told the high court. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

The Australian government asked six countries to resettle a stateless Rohingya man three years after his visa refusal was finalised and after he began a high court challenge against the legality of indefinite detention.

Lawyers for the man, known as NZYQ, told the high court on Tuesday a duty to remove him from Australia arose “well over” three years ago, but the government only asked Five Eyes allies, Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia to resettle him “under the shadow of this litigation”.