Fifteen Iranian asylum seekers are on their 19th day of hunger strike in Darwin’s Wickham Point detention centre. Meanwhile Martin, who has been on hunger strike since November last year is very weak and close to death.
Martin and the fifteen are part of a group of around 35 Iranian asylum seekers who are being held indefinitely in detention although the government is unable to remove them to Iran.
The Iranian government refuses to accept forced removals from Australia.
The fifteen hunger strikers were all living and working in the community on bridging visas until they were re-detained after August last year.
“They are the victims of a callous and completely pointless policy,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.
One of the hunger strikers was hospitalised and required stitches after cutting his wrists yesterday. He is now under 24 hour suicide watch inside the detention centre.
In three other cases, the government has tried to break the protest by having the asylum seekers admitted to psychiatric wards.
“Our situation is very bad,” one of the hunger strikers told the Refugee Action Coalition. “All the time, we are told, you must go back or we will take you by force.”
Martin is close to death
As the protest of the fifteen enters its nineteenth day, Martin is one day closer to death.
On Sunday night, 1st February, Martin collapsed inside Wickham Point and was taken to hospital around 10.30pm. He was returned to the detention centre at 3am, Monday morning, 2 February.
He is now unable to walk.
“It is urgent that the Immigration Minister intervene,” said Rintoul, “It is a damning indictment of government policy that Martin is driven to hunger strike to the death. The government’s policy of re-detaining those they cannot remove brings a whole new level of brutality to the detention regime run by the Coalition.
“Peter Dutton has the power to review the cases of all those who have been re-detained. He has the power to re-instate their bridging visas and release them from detention.
“If Martin dies, the responsibility will rest with the Minister and the government’s policy.”
For more information contact Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713 www.refugeeaction.org.au
