TORONTO — Shakir Rahim, Director of Criminal Justice at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, made the following statement:
The horrific treatment of incarcerated people at the Maplehurst Correctional Complex shocks the conscience. The recently released video, which depicts a graphic collective punishment operation by correctional staff, cannot be swept under the rug: there must be accountability.
We call upon the Solicitor General of Ontario to immediately launch an independent investigation into this shocking incident, publicly report the findings, and swiftly discipline those responsible.
The broader conditions of overcrowding, grossly inadequate medical care, and systemic neglect at Maplehurst and other Ontario jails undermines basic human dignity and endangers public safety.
This crisis must be addressed urgently and comprehensively. A first step would be for the Ontario government to call the Correctional Services Transformation Act into force, which was passed seven years ago.
The CSTA would establish a much-needed independent provincial corrections inspectorate in Ontario.
About the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
The CCLA is an independent, non-profit organization with supporters from across the country. Founded in 1964, the CCLA is a national human rights organization committed to defending the rights, dignity, safety, and freedoms of all people in Canada.
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