The premier of Australia's biggest state justified on Monday blocking a U.N. torture prevention panel from visiting prisons, saying the state maintained high standards at its jails and Australia was a sovereign country.
The U.N. Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) said on Sunday Australia was in "clear breach" of its obligations under a U.N. protocol on torture after New South Wales blocked it from visiting detention centres there.
State Premier Dominic Perrottet was unapologetic, telling a news conference his state had the highest standards and an independent process in place overseeing its jail system.
