Hunger strikes spread as Rotterdam asylum seekers join in

A group of 60 asylum seekers in a detention centre in Rotterdam began a hunger strike on Monday, the justice ministry confirmed to Nos on Tuesday.

It follows a similar action by 19 asylum seekers at the Schiphol airport detention centre in Amsterdam, all but two of whom gave up on Monday. However, according to some reports, a group of 10 have begun refusing food and water for a second time.

The Rotterdam group consists mainly of people refused entry at the border and people awaiting deportation because their claims for asylum have veen rejected.

A lawyer for the group told the AD the situation in the detention centre is inhumane, partly because the detainees are rarely allowed outside their cells.

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