Baxter protesters 'being denied water, sleep'?

Refugee advocates say a group of protesting Baxter detainees are being denied water and sleep by centre guards.

One of the three Iranian men has been on the roof of the gymnasium since Sunday last week, with two others joining him on Tuesday.

Rural Australians for Refugees says guards have now stopped other detainees from bringing the protesters water and are throwing basketballs at the roof of the gym to prevent the group sleeping.

Spokeswoman Kathy Verran says the protesters' health is rapidly deteriorating but they are too afraid of being punished to come down.

"I hope that they are hospitalised [and] they have independent psychiatric assessment because if they're sent to management where they're in solitary confinement, that would just be disastrous for these guys who've already endured four years of detention and are severely depressed because of that detention," she said.

The Immigration Department is yet to respond to the claims.

By Just Us 13 December 04

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