Detainees stop eating

HUNDREDS of detainees being held in onshore immigration centres have launched a hunger strike over a crackdown on visiting rights.

Advocates say visitors to Villawood in Sydney and Maribyrnong in Melbourne will now have to give five days notice, complete lengthy forms and produce onerous identification, and only meet detainees one-on-one.

“There is no justification for the visiting restrictions. They are unacceptable and should be dropped,” Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul said.