The lawyer who successfully argued the Manus Island detention centre in Papua New Guinea was illegal says the refugees have a strong case if they wish to sue for damages.
Loani Henao said the 850 people were imprisoned indefinitely, against PNG law and international human rights decrees.
PNG Lawyer, Loani Henao Photo: EMTV
The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Australia's offshore processing centre on the island was unconstitutional, and ordered the government to close it immediately.
Loani Henao said he thinks the refugees had a clear legal avenue to bring a damages case against the government.
"Their human rights have seriously been breached and they are entitled to some form of compensation and it will be a matter for the asylum seekers to undertake any cause, or I'm almost certain that there would be people, lawyers in PNG, who would be interested to take up that course of action."