Human rights lawyers and refugee advocates have called for an independent inquiry after the suicide of an Iraqi asylum seeker in Sydney's Villawood Detention Centre.
Ahmad Al Eqabi, believed to be in his 40s, was found in a shower cubicle about 12.40am (AEDT) on Tuesday, witnesses say.
He was taken to Liverpool Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
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Mr Al Eqabi is the second person to commit suicide in the detention centre in two months.
Josefa Rauluni, a 36-year-old Fijian detainee, died at Villawood in September.
The Social Justice Network (SJN) and human rights lawyers, headed by George Newhouse, have called for an independent inquiry into Mr Al Eqabi's death.
Mr Newhouse is acting for more than 25 ex-detainees who are suing the government for damages over their detention.
"It is time for an independent review of the disgusting conditions that we are keeping vulnerable people in," Mr Newhouse said in a statement issued by SJN on Tuesday.
SJN spokesman Jamal Daoud says the situation inside the Villawood detention centre is very volatile, with all boat people detained in the area known as Stage 3 declaring a hunger strike.
The Australian Greens are also demanding an overhaul of immigration detention following Tuesday morning's death.
Greens immigration spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young says detention has a devastating impact on the mental health of asylum seekers.
"What we've seen overnight was a man who was so desperate and so sickened by his detention that he's taken his own life," she told reporters in Canberra.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Immigration confirmed the death but says it will not release any details about the man until his next of kin overseas have been informed.
"CPR was started on the man, but he was pronounced dead in hospital," the spokeswoman told AAP.
Investigations into the death are ongoing and the death would now become the subject of a coronial inquiry, she said.
"Counsellors will be available to assist and support the centre's detainees and staff today, and throughout the week," the immigration department said in a statement on Tuesday.
"The department expresses its sympathy to the family of the deceased man and will co-operate fully with the coroner," it said.
Hussein Al Hakak, a detainee at Villawood and a friend of the dead man, said the detainees needed some assurances about their fate.
"We were put in cycle of fear, despair and uncertainty for the last year," Mr Hakak said in the SJN statement.
"After the High Court ruling last week, we expected change of heart from this government.
"But the minister's public comments are not giving any optimistic outlook about our situation."
Refugee Action Coalition said Mr Al Eqabi had a wife and four children and had been in detention, on Christmas Island and in Villawood, for more than a year.
He had been rejected twice under the offshore processing arrangements that were found to be invalid in the recent High Court decision, it said.
Iranian and Kurdish asylum seekers held a 12-day hunger strike at Villawood in September.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue.
