An advocate for the asylum seekers in the Australian detention centre on Nauru says the hundreds of inmates on a hunger strike are in a desperate situation.
The Australian based Refugee Action Coalition's Ian Rintoul says conditions are deteriorating at the camp which is housing 377 male asylum seekers in tents.
The hunger strike has now been going for a week and Mr Rintoul says about 300 inmates are involved, despite claims by Australian officials that the figures are a lot lower.
"There clearly are a large number of people - though they won't specify their figures today, but there are a large number of people who are on a hunger strike. We have got an Iranian man who is in the 27th day of a hunger strike, so I think rather than quibble about figures it is time for the [Immigration] Department in Australia to face up to the fact that there is a very serious situation on Nauru."
