Asylum hunger strike is blackmail: Peter Dutton

Peter Dutton has described as ‘emotional blackmail’ the case of an asylum-seeker hospitalised before accepting medical intervention.

Supporters of Saeed Hassanloo gather outside Royal Perth Hospital.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has described as “emotional blackmail” the case of an Iranian asylum-seeker who was hospitalised and gravelly ill before agreeing to accept medical intervention on Monday, saying granting the asylum-seeker a visa in those circumstances would provoke thousands of immigration detainees to launch hunger strikes.

The Australian has learned that 25-year-old Iranian Saeed Hassanloo’s physical recovery is expected to take months after he “had to be resuscitated” by doctors at Royal Perth Hospital. They described him as severely malnourished and last week estimated Mr Hassanloo would die within 12 hours to five days if he continued to refuse food and water.

Mr Dutton said yesterday his advice was that Mr Hassanloo’s hunger strike was over, but it was unclear what would happen in the future. His department was offering help and support for Mr Hassanloo, including to return to Iran. It was safe for him to go home, Mr Dutton told Sky News.

He told Sky that Mr Hassanloo, who arrived in Australia by boat seeking asylum under the Labor government in 2010, had been found not to be a refugee.

“All of the factors have been taken into consideration; the ­assessment by my department and the external assessors have determined that this person is not able to substantiate a refugee claim,” he told Sky.

“We do not send people back into harm’s way.”

Mr Dutton yesterday disputed refugee advocates’ claims that Mr Hassanloo had been on hunger strike for 44 days, saying his information was that it was closer to 35 days. He also criticised refugee advocates who encouraged desperate asylum-seekers to “do whatever it takes”.

“Whether it is through good intention or whatever else, there are some advocates who would be telling him to just do whatever it takes, try and outlast the government, they’ll bend eventually, they’ll settle you here — that’s not helping the situation,” Mr Dutton told ABC radio.