8 Feb 2017

Detained Manus Island cartoonist on hunger strike

8:55 am on 8 February 2017

An award winning cartoonist detained on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island is in a perilous state of health as his hunger strike enters a second week.

Iranian refugee and cartoonist Ali's work portrays his struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Iranian refugee and cartoonist Ali's work portrays his struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder. Photo: Ali/Eaten Fish

Known by his pen name, Eaten Fish has been in detention for about four years and held in isolation for the last eight months under suicide watch.

The 24-year-old from Iran suffers from post traumatic stress and obsessive compulsive disorders and is alleged to have been sexually assaulted by the officials who rejected his application for asylum.

The Guardian cartoonist Andrew Marlton, who's known as First Dog on the Moon, said he was in contact with Eaten Fish on a daily basis.

"He's being told by Papua New Guinea Immigration that he has to move back into the normal detention centre population which will again result in him being assaulted. He has had enough. He just wants to die."

Mr Marlton said Eaten Fish should be brought to Australia where his talent would contribute to society.