The Fremantle Declaration was a restatement and affirmation of legal and human rights principles in Australia.
The declaration is no more than a commitment to uphold existing national laws and international agreements of which Australia is party, based on principles that are widely held by the Australian public.
This uncontroversial statement, however, was intended and perceived as a censure of the conservative government led by John Howard for its attempts to circumvent the Australian legal system in the treatment of unauthorized immigrants and in its acquiescence to the US government treatment of captives accused of terrorism.
The full text of the declaration is: We, the Attorneys General of the governments of Australia, declare and affirm our commitment to the following principles: These are fundamental norms of the Australian legal system and we, as Attorneys General, are responsible for ensuring that these principles are upheld in our jurisdictions.
Although the declaration itself does not make any explicit reference to current events, it is generally recognised as a response to the extended incarceration, without trial, of an Australian, David Matthew Hicks, by the United States military at Guantánamo Bay, and the detention of refugees to Australia under the policies of the Commonwealth Government led by Australian Prime Minister John Howard.