Iranian asylum seeker resumes hunger strike in Darwin detention centre
An asylum seeker who went on a hunger strike in an NT detention centre for 51 days has resumed his protest and will continue "to the end", his lawyer says.
The 33-year-old Iranian man, who is in Wickham Point Detention Centre near Darwin, began his hunger strike after losing his appeal for refugee status.
He stopped in December, four days after his lawyer and refugee advocates found a different avenue for appeal.
But lawyer John Lawrence, engaged by the Darwin Asylum Seeker Support and Advocacy Network, said the man had once again lost hope and resumed his hunger strike nine days ago.
"He's crushed and broken," he said.
"He's basically given up the ghost as far as ever obtaining all he wants which is freedom and justice, to use his words, the very things he sought by leaving Iran and coming here.
"He's now taking this action, which is a hunger strike, to the end. That's his words."
Mr Lawrence said the man was in limbo, because usually when an asylum seeker's refugee status is rejected the person is either returned to their country of origin or kept in detention.
However Iran does not accept asylum seekers who have fled the country, leaving indefinite detention as the man's only option unless a legal solution can be found.
"He is of the belief that if he does return to Iran he will be at least imprisoned, if not tortured, if not killed. That is not an option for him," Mr Lawrence said.
"The other option that he has chosen to take is to demonstrate his position, not only on behalf of himself ... but also the others that he's conscious of and knows directly."
Mr Lawrence said there was still a pending judicial review of the man's case, and the lawyer said he he would represent the man "if he is still alive".
"He's basically given up ... he's got no faith or hope in his legal prospects," the lawyer said.
Last year doctors at Royal Darwin Hospital examined the man's mental health, but found he was in a normal state of mind, Mr Lawrence said.
That meant doctors were unable to section him under the Mental Health Act and force feed him.
"They actually told a case worker that what he was doing was quite normal considering his circumstances," he said.
"It's a deliberate action taken by him in demonstration and in protest against the Department of Immigration."
Irreversible damage after four or five weeks, warns doctor
The president of the Australian Medical Association's (AMA) Northern Territory branch, Dr Robert Parker, said the man could be facing severe complications with vital organs as a result of his hunger strike.
"There's a range of issues that affects someone who is severely malnourished. The main problem is they go through a state where the body starts breaking down muscle and what existing fat stores there are, to provide nutrients to essential body systems like the central nervous system and the heart," he said.
Dr Parker said issues such as cognitive focus and delirium were also likely effects of a prolonged period of starvation.
"With severe malnutrition you can actually pass a point when the body just can't take any advantage of nutrition. So basically the damage is irreversible," he added.
He said that point could be "four of five weeks".
The Iranian man had previously not eaten for more than seven weeks.
Dr Parker acknowledged that the asylum seeker had already passed that point and that was a cause of serious concern.
In a statement to the ABC, a spokesperson for the Department of Immigration and Border Protection said for reasons of privacy it would be "inappropriate to go into detail about individual cases".
"People who have exhausted all outstanding avenues to remain in Australia and have no lawful basis to remain are expected to depart," the spokesperson said.
"The department ensures it meets its duty of care to all people in detention and during the course of removal, including provision of health care as necessary."
