A Frenchman currently being held at Mt Carmel Hospital pending extradition has started a hunger strike and is claiming violation of his human rights.

His defence counsel, Emmy Bezzina, said today that Alan Schmitt started his hunger strike at 9 a.m. yesterday and his condition was weak.

Schmitt and his partner Laurence Liegeois are in detention pending the outcome of an appeal from a court decision authorising their extradition to France.

An appeals Court yesterday turned down a second request for bail.

Dr Bezzina alleged that Mr Schmitt, a diabetic, was not being given proper treatment at Mt Carmel and had been sent to Mater Dei Hospital, where his condition could be seen to. He said that he had this morning filed a constitutional application protesting over the violation of human rights.

Chief Justice Vincent DeGaetano in a decree yesterday said that Mr Schmitt's medical condition was not as alarming as it was being made out to be, and he was receiving adequate medical attention in the detention section of Mt Carmel Hospital. There was also, therefore, no need for him to be tended by Ms Liegeois and to be granted bail.