Protest by detainees at Yang Jiashan Immigration Detention Centre (Daily Mail photo)
Hundreds of detainees in Western Australia`s immigration detention centre are on hunger strike in the hope of regaining their freedom.
According to the Daily Mail, hundreds of detainees at the (Yongah Hill) Immigration Detention Centre in Mount Yangga, southeast of Perth, Western Australia, have been on hunger strike since January 14, as well as performing Haqqa dances to gain "power."
As many as 350 detainees took part in protests aimed at opposing indefinite incarceration.
"We started a hunger strike on Monday," protester Andreas (Issa Andrwas) said. "We all started to lose weight because we drank only water."
However, the protest may have the opposite effect. Australian authorities say the date of release of protesters may be affected as a result.
In addition, Australian Border Service (Australian Border Force) officials rebutted Andreas` claim that detainees would eat.
There are various reasons for detention in Yangjiashan immigration detention center, some of them have numerous criminal records, and some of them are asylum-seekers who have been smuggled into Australia by boat. Others are said to have never committed a crime, but failed to meet the standards of character testing.
