Lawsuits allege torture of asylum seekers

Two class actions have been launched in the High Court on the behalf of asylum seekers in Australia's offshore detention centres.

The parallel lawsuits on behalf of asylum seekers transferred to Manus Island and Nauru by the Australian government have been initiated by the National Justice Project and lawyer Julian Burnside QC.

The suits cover 1200 asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru and the plaintiffs allege they have been subjected to "torture, crimes against humanity and the intentional infliction of harm by the Australian government", the NJP said in a statement on Monday.