In Papua New Guinea, hundreds of asylum seekers were removed from a closed detention center -- many of whom say they were beaten. But the Australian government says claims of violence on Manus Island are exaggerated. CGTN's Greg Navarro has more.

Buses carried the last of the refugees from a Manus Island detention center on Friday - ending a 3 week stand off with police. This video was shot by some of the refugees who claim they were violently removed from the center. The men were seeking asylum in Australia and say they feared for their lives after the detention center was closed last month.

REFUGEE "I can't show myself. I can't see much but they kill us, they hit us everywhere, on face, on us. They kill everyone. Please help us, please, please help us."

Australia's government denied reports of violence.

PETER DUTTON AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION MINISTER "All of this is designed by way of trying to twist the government's arm, which is just not going to happen."

Hundreds of refugees refused to leave the detention center after it was ordered closed by the PNG High Court last year, which said it breached the refugees human rights.

MALCOLM TURNBULL AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER "They're staying there is obviously designed - they think this is some way they can pressure the Australian Government to let them come to Australia. Well, we will not be pressured. I want to be very clear about this.

"You are illegally and unlawfully settling on the PNG defense force, I repeat, PNG defense force land, this place has already been decommissioned by the government." Refugees say water and electricity were cut - and access to medical treatment. But many of the men remained - fearing that the center they were being moved to - wasn't safe.

REFUGEE "We could prove that how the Australian government is torturing people and how this government is cruel."

GREG NAVARRO SYDNEY "All of this is increasing the focus on Australia’s controversial border protection policy amid mounting international criticism from several organizations, including the UN."

ADRIAN EDWARDS SPOKESPERSON, UN OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES "It is shocking to see this (the use of force), it is also tragic that this should happen. Australia has had this four-year old policy of off-shoring refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island, on Naru, that now is ending in this messy failure. And people, they are real people, their lives are uncertain, the future is uncertain."

The stand off prompted several rallies around the country - to pressure the government to allow refugees to settle in Australia.

MALCOLM TURNBULL AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER "I would say to those advocates in Australia, who claim to have the best interests of the people there at heart, they should also act responsibly and tell them to move in accordance with the directions of  PNG authorities and do so peacefully."

It is unclear whether the increased scrutiny will have a lasting impact on Australia's government - which continues to claim that its strict border protection policy is working- and successfully preventing asylum seekers from dying at sea. Greg Navarro, CGTN, Sydney.