170 Eritrean Migrants in Israeli Detention Center Protest With Hunger Strike

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By JTA June 30, 2013

Some 170 African migrants being held in an Israeli detention center are continuing a hunger strike.

Police on Sunday were working to end the hunger strike at the Saharonim detention facility in the Negev desert, the Times of Israel reported.

The migrants from Eritrea are among 300 imprisoned migrants who began the hunger strike eight days ago. They are protesting their detentions.

The hunger strikers in one wing of the prison ended their strike over the weekend. The privileges of the 170 remaining hunger-striking prisoners, including access to telephones, have been revoked.

There are more than 1,700 African migrants jailed in Israel. Most are waiting for their refugee requests to be processed or to file such requests.

The migrants can be detained for up to three years without a trial.

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