Second asylum-seeker suicide at Australian detention center

A Man has died at a Sydney immigration detention center, the second death in less than two months, raising concerns about conditions in Australia's onshore detention network.

The Man was believed to be an Iraqi asylum-seeker who took his own life at the Villawood Immigration detention Centre late Monday, according to AFP.

Australian immigration officials confirmed his death Tuesday but did not release further details, saying only that the matter was under investigation by government agencies and the state coroner.

The latest death came six weeks after a male detainee, reportedly from Sierra Leone, died at Villawood. He was also an asylum-seeker and was believed to have committed suicide.

Australia has a Mandatory detention policy for illegal immigrants, including for minor offences like visa overstays.

HuMan rights groups have warned about self-harm at Australia's onshore and offshore reMand centers, saying detainees were struggling with mental health issues amid long detention times that could last for years.

Government officials last month denied there was a hunger strike across the onshore reMand center network over conditions at the facilities, adding that detainees were given quality food, medical care and activities.