A former justice minister in Nauru is calling on the government to review its decision to unilaterally end appeals to the Australian High Court.
It was revealed at the weekend the government had served notice terminating the treaty that had given Nauru access to the Australian High Court as a final court of appeal since independence.
The termination on 12 December last year came before the necessary constitutional amendment had been passed by parliament.
Mathew Batsiua, who is one of 19 facing charges over an anti government protest, said he was not sure whether the government's termination move was legal, but it was being called on to review or rescind it.
"Seek parliamentary approval or sanctioning of its intentions through the passage of the constitutional amendment bills that will be debated on April 25 or after that date, and if they get the approval of the parliament to go ahead then they take steps to revoke the treaty.
"That's the normal way of doing things," Mr Batsuia said.
He said the termination, before an alternative was in place, left many people, including asylum seekers, without any avenue of appeal for decisions made by the Nauru Supreme Court.
The parliament building in Nauru. Photo: Supplied/ @ChrisTrott