Cyprus-Forum.com

[zan]

Lankan detainees in Cyprus to join hunger strike


Twenty four immigrants including a group of Sri Lankans being held “indefinitely” in Cyprus have threatened to go on hunger strike next Monday if the government does not end their detention.
The 24 detainees sent a letter to the Ombudswoman, Interior Ministry, UNHCR and Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, highlighting their plight and calling for help.

The immigrants have been kept in the immigration detention centre at Nicosia’s Central Prison, more commonly known as Block 10, from between six months and one year.

According to the letter, one of the 24 immigrants has been in detention for one year already, while others have been incarcerated for between six and 12 months.

“We have become completely tired of the inhuman and degrading decision of the government to keep us in indefinite detention for life just because we are asylum seekers,” said the letter, signed by the 24 detainees, comprising nationals from Nigeria, Cameroon, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Kurdistan, Turkey, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

“How can a living being who is not a criminal be detained under hard conditions without a definite time to be released, while even one who breaks the law knows he/she can be in jail for a specific period of time and finish his jail sentence,” they said.

The detainees called on the government to recall the many Cypriot refugees that were received and accepted by other countries following the Turkish invasion in 1974.

The group said they did not wish to break any laws or be a nuisance, and noted their desire for “peaceful solution” to their problems. (Cyprus Mail)

[paliometoxo]

LOL hunger strike they think it will get hem anywhere? LOL they are like babies saying mummy i want this or i wont EAT HAHA