CANBERRA, Aug. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- A 10-year-old Iranian boy has sued the Australian government for psychological damages during his detention in two Australian immigration detention centers.

    The case against Australia's department of immigration started Monday in the Supreme Court in Sydney, capital of the state of New South Wales, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio reported.

    Shayan Badraie and his family were detained at Woomera and Villawood detention centers after their arrival in Australia in March 2000 before they were granted refugee status in August 2002.

    The boy's counsel is seeking to hold the Australian government and the detention centers responsible for the harm caused to the boy by his detention and the traumatic events he witnessed.

    It was reported that in 2001, the boy was hospitalized eight times, and had stopped eating, drinking and speaking after 17 months in detention.

    Badraie's lawyer Andrew Morrison told the court in his opening address that the case is not about mandatory detention, but about the way it was carried out and how the regime failed to meet this child's needs.

    He said the defendants knew they exposing the child to numerous traumatic events in detention may result in injury, and knew the child was suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Enditem