Witness 'scared' to front royal commission

A young Aboriginal man is threatening to go on a hunger strike because he fears repercussions from prison guards if he gives evidence to the royal commission into the Northern Territory's youth detention system.

Images of Dylan Voller strapped to a chair wearing a hood while in Darwin's notorious Don Dale Youth Detention Centre shocked many when they were screened by ABC's Four Corners program in July, sparking the royal commission.

Voller, who is now being held at the Darwin Correctional Centre for adult prisoners, is due to give evidence to the commission this week.

But his mother Joanne Voller says guards at the centre, some of whom used to work at Don Dale, have been threatening her son and have made him terrified about appearing before the commission.

"I have never seen my son so scared in all of his life," she said in a statement on Tuesday after visiting her son.

"He has said he will start a hunger strike to fight for his own safety.

"They are saying he may not even be allowed to attend court to speak with the royal commission and may have to give evidence via video link, under the eye of his abusers. He is too scared to do this."

Voller's family has repeatedly called for his release from prison so he can speak freely before the commission.

He has also previously requested a transfer to Alice Springs prison.

But his mother says that prison guards in Darwin have told him that going to Alice Springs would "increase his chances of getting bashed" because of a lack of CCTV cameras there.

Senior counsel assisting the commission Tony McAvoy SC told the commission as it resumed on Monday that special arrangements were in place to protect vulnerable witnesses.

They will be able to have their identities kept secret, give evidence during closed sessions and have people on hand to support them.

"Our first priority is to protect them," Mr McAvoy said.