By Jill Fraser
MELBOURNE, Australia
Campaigners held Friday a vigil outside a western Australia hospital housing a 25-year-old Iranian asylum seeker who has been on hunger strike for almost 40 days.
As evening fell, photographs showed supporters lighting candles, and a white banner behind emblazoned with the phrase "Not in My Name" covered with thousands of handwritten signatures.
Green Party spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young has called on Immigration Minister Peter Dutton to act.
"You've got to wonder what's happened to our country when a person prefers to starve themselves to death rather than spend any more time in immigration detention, or indeed fearful of being deported back to their homeland," the ABC reported her as saying.
Saeed Hassanloo has been treated at Royal Perth Hospital since March 10, when he was transferred from Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre. It is understood that he has been fighting for a visa since he left Iran in 2009.
Five days ago it was reported widely that doctors at the hospital had estimated that Hassanloo, who has been in immigration detention for four-and-a-half years, had just 48 hours to live if he continued to refuse food.
Refugee Rights Action Network told The Anadolu Agency on Friday that Hassanloo is declining fluids, refusing to see a psychologist or medical practitioner and is "barely conscious."
He was still, however, able to give instructions Thursday, said spokeswoman Victoria Martin.
"He has signed an advanced treatment directive stating that he doesn't want to be resuscitated in the event of his condition worsening," she added.
She said that both Hassanloo and his older brother Majid had been held indefinitely in detention because they refuse to return to Iran due to an "extreme fear of persecution."
Perth-based Anglican Minister Chris Bedding -- who organized the candlelight vigil -- told AA that he understands Hassanloo has been denied protection by the government "despite a well-founded fear of death in Iran."
"We have no way of knowing if he was afforded adequate legal assistance, or if he has exhausted all legal boundaries," he added.
He described the 25-year-old as "a man our system has destroyed."
In a statement sent to AA, Immigration Minister Dutton said the situation was "very sad."
"I hope the man will reconsider his position. However, no government can make decisions under duress," he added, emphasizing that Hassanloo had been provided "every possible assistance."
Dutton said he had sought advice on court intervention to allow for medical treatment, but was advised that have not intervened in past cases and would not intervene in this.
"Ultimately there is no way to override the man’s wishes," he said.
