Second refugee self-immolates at Australia's Nauru camp

A refugee set herself on fire at an Australian-run detention centre on the Pacific island of Nauru, just days after an Iranian man died in a similar act in protest against the treatment within these centres.

Australian officials said the Somali woman was in a critical condition after she set herself on fire on Monday. The incident sparked debate on social media with the hashtag #Only19, the woman’s age, trending in Australia.

Last week, a 23-year-old Iranian man known as Omid set fire to himself on Nauru when UN representatives were visiting – an act deemed a "political protest" by the Nauru government.

Immigration minister Peter Dutton acknowledged there had been a rise in cases of self-harm in the camps and accused refugee advocates of giving the asylum seekers false hope of one day be settling in Australia.

However, the top UN body for refugees said such incidents in the camps were a result of Australia's tough offshore detention polices.

"These people have already been through a great deal. Many have fled war and persecution, some have already suffered trauma," said the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Australia through a statement.

"The consensus among medical experts is that conditions of detention and offshore processing do immense damage to physical and mental health," it added.

Under Australia's immigration policy, asylum seekers reaching the country by boat are intercepted and sent to camps on the Nauru, about 3, 000km northeast of Australia, or on Manus island in Papua New Guinea. The harsh conditions and reports of systemic child abuse at the camps have brought in wide criticism from Australians and foreigners alike and have become a key issue for Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull during his campaign for the July national elections.

The government argues that the approach, which also includes turning back boats, has prevented drownings by stopping people from making the dangerous journey, often from Indonesia.

Last week, Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court found its centre on Manus Island to be unconstitutional, prompting the government in Port Moresby to order it closed.