Concerns are being raised about the New Zealand Government’s handling of Behrouz Boochani.

The award-winning author spent six years in detention on Manus Island, in Papua New Guinea, after fleeing Iran.

He arrived in Christchurch in November after being invited to speak at a book festival, but stayed in New Zealand after his 30 day visitor visa expired.

Mr Boochani wrote the book ‘No Friend but the Mountains’ on the smartphone app WhatsApp while held at the detention centre.

His documentary ‘Chauka, Please Tell Us the Time’ which he shot on his mobile phone, has been shown at international film festivals.

Mr Boochani has spoken about life in Christchurch to the Sydney Morning Herald.

“For someone who has been immersed in a tragedy and humanitarian crisis for years, living in a quiet and calm city like Christchurch represents a profound transformation.”

“I have been able to contemplate my life on Manus. Not a day has passed that I have not thought about the refugees in Port Moresby, Nauru or Australia.”

“My experience on Manus is like an ongoing nightmare – what felt like years of struggling to crawl out of a pit. It gives me pleasure that after years I can be by myself; I can listen to music by myself; walk to the city centre; go to the cinema on the weekends; sit in the corner of a cafe and drink coffee while watching people walk by; make new friends and talk to them about the city and its history; and immerse myself in the stories of people who have lived their entire lives in freedom.”

National Immigration spokesman Stuart Smith is calling on the Government to be “up-front on the issues and provide clear clarification that all immigration instructions and laws have been strictly adhered to in order to uphold the integrity of our immigration system. Until this is done, I will continue to question his presence in New Zealand.”

He says “Mr Boochani told ABC before he arrived in New Zealand that he would not go back to Papua New Guinea and that he might go to the US, where he has been accepted for resettlement, or he might stay in New Zealand.”

“The Australian Minister of Immigration, Peter Dutton, has publicly stated that Behrouz Boochani “will never step foot in Australia even if he is granted asylum in New Zealand.”

Stuart Smith says “although it can’t be confirmed due to privacy laws, I believe it is fair to say that Mr Boochani has been excluded from Australia for the purposes of Section 15 of the Immigration Act. This states ‘No visa or entry permission may be granted, and no visa waiver may apply, to any person who has, at any time, been removed, excluded, or deported from another country. If he has in fact been ‘excluded’, this raises the question of why he was granted a Visitor visa.”

He says his Visitor visa requires him to agree that he will leave New Zealand before his visa expires.

His refusal to rule out applying for asylum in New Zealand also suggests he should not have been considered a ‘bona fide’ applicant for a Visitor visa.

Christchurch Word Festival Programme Director Rachael King declined to comment saying it would be illegal to do so while Mr Boochani’s immigration status is under review.

Amnesty International sponsored Mr Boochani’s visa, and has been approached for comment.

Behrouz Boochani has been approached to comment, but has declined the invitation.