It now seems certain that the 33 year-old Iranian asylum seeker, who has been on hunger strike for around 70 days (he suspended his hunger strike in December for a few days) has only days to live.
He does not want his Iranian name to be used, so he will be known as “Martin”.
‘Martin’ is now in hospital being treated for cellulitis – ironically the same rampant infection that resulted in Hamid Kahazaie’s death. ‘Martin’ has had the infection for around a month. The hospital says that if he does not respond to the current antibiotics they will consider surgery, but given his weakened state this is unlikely.
He understands that his organs may have already suffered irreversible damage. He is now receiving heavy pain relief and has made his will.
He says that he is not holding this protest for himself but for the around 40 other asylum seekers in Wickham Point who, like him, have been re-detained but are facing indefinite detention because the government cannot deport them.
Martin arrived in Australia five years ago and has been on a bridging visa for two years. He was re-detained in August 2014, even though the then-Minister, Scott Morrison, knew that the Iranian government will not accept asylum seekers being forcibly returned.
It seems clear that the government is willing to let Martin die to set an example to try and coerce other asylum seekers into returning ‘voluntarily’.
Don’t let Martin die: Please contact the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Peter Dutton, and Assistant Minister Michaela Cash (I actually think Michaela Cash is still acting Minister) to urge them to act urgently to free ‘Martin’ and free all the other asylum seekers being pointlessly and vindictively held for removal.
Contact details: Hon. Peter Dutton: minister@immi.gov.au; or
peter.dutton.mp@aph.gov.au; Electorate office: ph 07 3205 9977; fax 07
3205 5111;
and Michaelia Cash: assistantminister@immi.gov.au or
michaelia.cash.mp@aph.gov.au
Electorate office: Ph: 08 9226 2000. fax: 02 9226 2211
Canberra Parliament House: ph 02 6277 7610; fax 02 6273 7093
Contact your local member – urge them to act to prevent this and
future tragedies.
Ian Rintoul
Refugee Action Collective
mob 0417 275 713