Hunger strike at Ottawa-area jail ends after six days due to health concerns

GLOUCESTER, Ont. — A days-long hunger strike at an Ottawa-area jail has come to an end.

An advocacy group in regular contact with inmates at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre says the prisoners terminated the hunger strike for unspecified health reasons.

It was 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 second hunger strike began July 22 because inmates say authorities did not honour the June agreement.

It ended at noon on Sunday, according to the advocacy group the Criminalization and Punishment Education Project.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2020.

The Canadian Press