GLOUCESTER, Ont. — A rally is being held outside the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre this morning to support prisoners who are on the third day of a hunger strike.
One of the inmates at the jail says 70 prisoners in the maximum security section of the men’s facility are refusing to eat or take medication.
It’s the second hunger strike in less than two months at the jail.
A 31-hour strike that started on June 3 led to an agreement between prisoners and officials that there would be healthier food, hygiene products and increased access to reading materials and television.
The current action began because inmates say authorities did not follow through on that agreement.
A spokeswoman for Ontario’s solicitor general addressed the hunger strike on Wednesday, saying the ministry has procedures for when inmates refuse meals.
“Staff are engaging with the inmates at Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre regarding their concerns,” said the statement. “The ministry is committed to meeting the needs of our diverse inmate population, by providing a safe environment and culturally-appropriate services to individuals in our custody.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2020.
The Canadian Press
