Evidence suggests Avi Yemini's passport DID NOT have a scratch on it
Yesterday, Rebel News Chief Australia Correspondent Avi Yemini was detained upon returning to home to Australia after covering the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
As we reported, border officers detained Yemini and confiscated his passport, claiming that the document had a “scratch” on it. After officials spoke with Yemini's lawyer, he was eventually released, but “they impounded my passport,” Yemini wrote on Twitter.
In a further update posted to his Twitter feed, Yemini provided documentation he received from airport officials.
Last night border force cited a “scratch” in my passport before detaining me and seizing the document.
— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) May 28, 2022
There was NO scratch.
Even THEIR “evidence” proves it.
I will find out if this was in response to my work or an overzealous individual officer.
Either way, I will not cower. pic.twitter.com/RpY7q2OEZ9
“Last night border force cited a scratch in my passport before detaining me and seizing the document,” Yemini explained. “There was NO scratch. Even THEIR 'evidence' proves it,” the Rebel Australian reporter said.
An image attached to Yemini's post shows a picture of his passport, which was included in the documents from the Australian government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. There appeared to be no visible damage from scratches.
🚨Avi is our star investigative journalist who just spent a week exposing oligarchs and bureaucrats at the World Economic Forum and the UN’s World Health Organization. So when he landed back home in Australia, police detained him and seized his passport. https://t.co/rBAxUdorM2
— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) May 28, 2022
“You have presented an Australian passport that has been deemed not valid for further travel,” the notice says, warning that “Use of an invalid Australian passport or travel document is a criminal offence under subsection 32(1) of the Act, for which you may be subject to a penalty of imprisonment for 10 years or a fine of 1,000 penalty units, or both.”
“The decision to demand the surrender of your passport is a reviewable decision,” the letter states. “If you wish to seek a review of this decision, please refer to the attached information statement.”
A review of the decision is something Yemini seemed interested in.
“I will find out if this was in response to my work or an overzealous individual officer. Either way, I will not cower,” Yemini proclaimed.
To see all of our team's coverage of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, and to help us continue our 100% viewer-funded journalism, please visit WEFreports.com.