Operation Rescue demands the immediate release of Newman and an apology from the Minister of Immigration, Peter Dutton
Melbourne, Australia — Operation Rescue received word moments ago that Troy Newman has been detained in Melbourne Australia pending deportation due to his visa being cancelled at the request of pro-abortion bullies who were bent on silencing Newman’s message of peaceful, legal activism on behalf of pre-born babies.
Newman’s deportation could take up to 72 hours. Meanwhile, his wife, Mellissa, whose visa is still active, is left alone in a foreign country with no luggage.
“Troy’s unjust treatment by the Australian government is based on a pack of bold-faced lies about his character. This makes him a political prisoner,” said Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Policy Advisor for Operation Rescue. “It’s shocking that the Australian government would take these lies at face value and deny Troy his right to his freedom and free speech. To say we are disappointed is an understatement.”
Newman is the president of Operation Rescue and serves as a Board Member for the Center for Medical Progress, the organization that recently released a series of undercover video showing prima facie evidence that Planned Parenthood was engaged in the illegal sale of aborted baby remains for profit.
He was invited to Australia for a 10 day speaking tour by Australia Right to Life. He planned to share news concerning the shock videos and their impact in American politics as well as his message of peaceful activism in order to save innocent lives from abortion.
A pro-abortion Member of Parliament, Terri Butler, sent a spurious letter to Minister of Immigration Peter Dutton falsely accusing Newman of advocating the execution of abortion providers, which Dutton never bothered to fact-check.
Newman has never advocated violence against abortion providers or facilities and has instead adamantly encouraged pro-life activists to work through the legal, legislative, and justice systems to bring abortionists who are breaking the law and harming women to justice.
“The pro-abortion bullies in Australia who have been slandering Troy Newman to the government have had to stoop to the lowest of lows to silence his message about Planned Parenthood’s criminality and his use of peaceful, law-abiding activism to expose abortion abuses,” said Sullenger. “Now that they have told so may lies about him, they must make sure he is deported lest their shame be exposed to the people of Australia.”
Newman was not notified that his visa had been cancelled until he was already enroute to Melbourne. Along the way, he was banned from boarding a United Airlines flight from Denver to Los Angeles and was told he was banned from flying on order of the Australian government. Newman continued on to Los Angeles on another airline then on to Melbourne thinking this misunderstanding would soon be corrected.
“Troy has been treated like a criminal even though he has never been convicted of a crime and is being detained and deported based solely on his religious and pro-life beliefs that are opposed by certain abortion lackeys in the Australian government,” said Sullenger. “This is unjust and as a representative of Operation Rescue, I demand his immediate release and an apology from Minister Dutton for the trouble he has caused by acquiescing to false accusations of those who oppose Newman’s pro-life stance.”
Please contact Minister of Immigration Peter Dutton and respectfully remind him that Newman is a man of peace that has been unjustly detained, and ask for his immediate release.
Peter Dutton
Minister of Immigration
minister@border.gov.au