Papua New Guinea’s Supreme Court rules Australia’s detention of asylum seekers on Manus Island is illegal

Papua New Guinea’s Supreme Court has ruled the detention of asylum seekers on Manus Island is illegal.

The five-man bench today ruled Australia’s detention of around 850 men on the Papua New Guinean island breaches the nation’s constitution.

The court ruled the Manus Island centre violates the right to personal liberty, and ordered the Australian and Papua New Guinean governments to end the detention of asylum seekers.

The decision means Manus Island detention centre must be shut down, according to Loani Henao, counsel for the Papua New Guinea's opposition leader.

"It effectively means both governments must take steps to effectively shut down the Manus Island detention centre," he told Sky News.

The court alsoo ruled that an amendment made by the Papua New Guinean government last year to legitimise the arrangement with the Australian government is also unconstitutional.

Human rights activist group GetUP hailed today's decision. 

"We need to bring these people here," spokeswoman Aurora Adams said in a statement.

"It is time to stop the abuse of vulnerable people who only ask for safety and the opportunity to rebuild their lives. 

"The moral case is clear, there is no justification for locking people in offshore prison camps indefinitely." 

The Manus Island detention centre has been under renewed scrutiny in recent weeks, with two men charged with murder last week over the 2014 death of detainee Reza Berati. 

An ABC investigation also found procedural errors significantly contributed to the death of inmate Hamid Khazaei in 2014. 

Mr Khazaei fell ill on Manus Island and was transferred to Port Moresby, but later died at Brisbane's Mater Hospital. 

Australian Medical Association president Dr Brian Owler described the situation as "pathetic" on the ABC's Four Corners program last night.

With AAP.