A group of citizens, who were placed into a coronavirus quarantine at Sarajevo's Bjelave dormitory more than two weeks ago, have started a hunger strike Monday morning, demanding the explanation why they have not been sent to their homes yet.

They say their human rights have been violated.

“Nobody was here or called us. We reached the office of (Sarajevo Canton Interior) Minister Ismir Jusko this morning and they said they would call back today. There are those among us who haven't been tested and we have been here for 16 days. Some of us refused food even yesterday and as of this morning some 50 of us is on a hunger strike,” Zerin Nurkanovic, who was quarantined upon the return from Sweden, told N1.

Bosnian authorities imposed a measure of putting in 28-day isolation its citizens who return from abroad amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Unlike in Federation (FBiH), Bosnia's semi-autonomous region where Sarajevo is located, the authorities of Republika Srpska (RS) region keep its residents for a 14-day quarantine in specially designated places, sending them home for other 14 days of isolation.

Sarajevo's student dormitory is one of the locations where over 150 of Bosnian citizens who returned from abroad have been quarantined.

“We are slowly becoming mentally drained, and those in charge say everything is perfect,” said one of them.

A mother of two, including a five-month baby, has also decided to go on a hunger strike.

“I am exhausted and I sleep four hours a day. We're in a single room, the kids sleep at different periods and I rarely have rest,” she said, adding that she cannot go on any longer, physically or mentally.

One of the temporary tenants at the dorm even threatened to burn herself to death Monday morning but after a prompt reaction of medical staff, she was convinced to give up on her intention.