A Papua New Guinea lawyer says restrictions have been relaxed on the nearly 900 men detained on Manus Island, following a Supreme Court decision that ruled their detention illegal.
But advocates for the men say the move is superficial, and has had little impact.
Papua New Guinea says it has granted the 898 men being held in the Australian-run detention centre on Manus Island greater freedom, allowing them to leave the facility during the day.
A lawyer for several of the detainees, Ben Lomai, says the men can visit the local town of Lorengau, and even stay overnight at the transit centre there if they wish.
But Ian Rintoul from the Refugee Action Coalition says this isn't entirely correct, and that many won't leave the centre for fear they won't be allowed back in.
"It's not strictly true actually, there's been no easing of the movement of the detainees since a week or so ago. People who want to leave the detention centre have to register before they leave and they can only leave on an organised bus. They can stay at the transit accommodation at East Lorengau but most people are extremely worried that if they were to choose to stay there that the government will take it as an opportunity to stop them from returning to the detention centre itself. People are extremely suspicious of the motivations of the government."
Ben Lomai admits that the men's movements are closely monitored, and says he believes this latest move is simply to comply with the wording of the Supreme court orders.
"That's an immediate step in terms of complying with the order because if they continue to detain them they will be in contempt of the court order. In order to avoid being in contempt, the only way is to - for an immediate solution - what they can do is to open the centre. That will allow the detainees to regain their freedom back, and that will be seen to be in compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court."
Last month, PNG's Supreme Court ruled that the detention of refugees and asylum seekers on Manus was illegal and infringed upon their constitutional rights by depriving detainees of their "personal liberty" or freedom.
PNG has since said the centre will close.
As yet, neither Australia nor PNG has been willing to take responsibility for the centre's detainees.
Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has categorically ruled out bringing the men to Australia.
He says the opening of the facility doesn't change anything.
"Manus is an issue for the PNG Government to comment on and we've had officials providing assistance to the PNG immigration authorities there. Those discussions, as I say, will continue on for some time. But the Australian side has made it very clear that people won't be settled in Australia and PNG side has made it very clear that they want to comply with the ruling of the court which, of course, was not to close Manus Island and those questions are really west put to PNG."
Ian Rintoul says he's not surprised.
"The announcement is clearly designed to respond to the Supreme Court decision that they have to close Manus Island. They clearly have not closed the detention centre so I doubt that the easing of the restrictions, as small as they are, actually in any way complies with the Supreme Court decision. It's quite clear that Peter Dutton doesn't want anything to happen before the election on the 2nd of July, maybe he can stall things that long but slowly but surely I think it's becoming clear to the government that there really is no alternative but to bring those people to Australia and to face up to the very nice compensation payments that they're now liable for."
