A hunger strike is underway at the Calgary Remand Centre as inmates are attempting to bring attention to their concerns with alleged mistreatment and unhygienic practices.
Inmate concerns include:
- Clothing changes are permitted approximately once a week
- Food portions are small and lack sufficient protein
- Unfair classification of some inmates as gang members resulting in privilege restrictions
According to sources, between 25 and 30 inmates, all located in the same unit, began their hunger strike on Thursday.
In a statement to CTV Calgary, Alberta Justice spokesperson Dan Laville confirms members of the Calgary Remand Centre’s maximum security area are currently on strike:
Inmates from the maximum security area, which is one of fourteen units at Calgary Remand Centre, have declared an on and off hunger strike since last evening. Their complaints relate to conditions of custody shared by all inmates, such as food quantity, the prices for canteen, prison attire and general privileges. As is the standard process with incidents of this nature, correctional staff have advised these matters will be discussed when the inmates observe the behaviour expected of offenders held in custody.
Defence lawyer Hersh Wolch represents one of the striking inmates.
“The one thing to be kept in mind is that you have people here who are presumed innocent,” explains Wolch. “People who have been convicted and are guilty are in better facilities.”
Lawyers say conditions at the Calgary Remand Centre are notoriously poor, possibly the worst of all Canadian remand centres, and clients have been expressing their concerns for years.
With files from CTV's Alesia Fieldberg
