Amnesty International say the Australian Government doesn't want you to know these things about asylum seekers on Manus Island

AMNESTY says they're deprived of rights, denied basic conditions and 'beaten' by the those who are meant to help them. This is what you don't know about Manus Island.

DEPRIVED of basic rights and routinely humiliated by the people who are meant to look after them.

These are just some of the allegations facing the Australian Government about its offshore processing centre on Manus Island.

A damning report by human rights group Amnesty International alleges asylum seekers are being held in a brutal "prison-like regime" and subjected to humiliating conditions.

The This is Breaking People: Human Rights Violations at Australia's Asylum Seeker Processing Centre on Manus Island report also alleges asylum seekers suffer treatment and abuse worse than jail inmates.

It also claims asylum seekers are denied basic medical treatment and forced to queue for water while being referred to by number.

While the claims have been dismissed by both the Australian and Papua New Guinea governments, Amnesty's allegations follow a UNHCR report in October which also slammed conditions on the island.

In its report, UNHCR officials said the conditions amounted to mandatory detention "not compatible with international law".

Amnesty further claims it is just the tip of the iceberg after interviewing 58 asylum seekers during its November visit.

Here are five of most shocking things Amnesty say they found:

Detainees at the fence of the Manus Island Detention Centre Picture: Edwards Nathan

1. Verbal/physical abuse

Amnesty claims the men are referred to by their boat ID numbers, and many say they have been subjected to verbal and physical abuse by staff, including being kicked, punched and shoved.

"This is the process of how you break someone mentally," a medical professional said.

"These conditions are contributing to a range of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, lack of sleep and trauma, especially for men from war zones."

2. Humiliation/cohesion

Amnesty claims detainees have not only faced pressure to return to where they came from but have been routinely humiliated.

Those transferred from Christmas Island are removed without notice, often in the middle of the night and forced to wait for hours with little or no food.

The lucky ones are offered blankets and told to sleep on the floor while waiting for the plane.

Once onboard, they are escorted by two security guards, one on each side and are not allowed to move except to use the toilet, which they must do with the door open.

3. Harsh and deliberate cruelty

According to Amnesty, there were approximately 1100 male asylum seekers in the facility, divided between three "compounds" with each surrounded by eight feet high metal fences and patrolled by security guards contracted by the Australian government.

The compounds are extremely cramped and provide no shade or shelter from the heat, humidity and heavy rain.

It's also claimed detainees spend several hours a day queuing in the sun for their meals and have access to two small working fans to be shared between 112 men.

This photo supplied by Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young reveals some of conditions on Manus Island.

4. Inadequate health/hygiene

Detainees have limited and inadequate access to soap and showers and there are insufficient toilets for the number of men at the facility.

"The mixture of stifling heat, sweat and moisture leaves a permanent, overwhelming stench. Asylum seekers reported finding snakes in the room and flooding when it rained," said Amnesty's Graeme McGregor.

The men also told how drinking water has been denied in one of the compounds and were given just a tenth of what they need.

It's also claimed those with serious illnesses and disabilities are unable to be cared for adequately.

5. Asylum seekers left in limbo

According to Amnesty, not a single refugee decision has been handed down by the PNG government since the policy began in late 2012 with detainees left languishing.

Asylum seekers are given no information about the processing or the length of their detention, and have been given no access to lawyers.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison told Sky News he had reviewed the report and was looking into the claims.

"There are some things in this report which we will seek to verify with Amnesty and get more details of what they are talking about," he said.

"I have reviewed the report and some of those comments are a little general I've got to say."

He said the government was currently going through a massive expansion program to address some of the issues which were also raised in the UNHCR report.

During a press conference last night, PNG foreign minister Rimbink Pato rejected the UNHCR allegations, saying they were "out of context and out of date".

"I think the report is not a true reflection of what is happening on Manus," he said, adding it was a pretty good facility.

Mr Pato said the major hurdle facing the Manus Island facility was whether or not it was legal under PNG law but an amendment to the PNG constitution, expected to pass its parliament early next year, would resolve that.

Both he and Foreign Minsiter Juleu Bishop said they had not received any legal advice suggesting they had breached international law by arbitrarily detaining asylum seekers.

"We haven't done anything which is illegal," Mr Pato said.

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