Torture of Disabled Prisoners at Maplehurst Must End

MILTON, ONTARIO—On the 49th Prisoners Justice Day, community members across Ontario are coming together in Milton to amplify the voices of prisoners—including many remanded prisoners—to speak out against the torture, degradation, and human rights abuses being enacted under the watch of the Ford Government. Join us as we stand at the site of FordFest 2024 in sight of the most overcrowded prison with the most in-custody deaths in so-called Ontario. Speakers will describe the abuses, extended lockdowns, and medical neglect experienced by prisoners—including from the so-called Institutional Crisis Intervention Team (ICIT)—while highlighting the violence enacted on Disabled Prisoners in Maplehurst. This prison is not only killing people but disabling them and exacerbating existing medical issues every day and we need action now.

Read the full press release here.

To: (3 recipients)

Solicitor General/York Centre MPP Michael Kerzner Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario Ontario Premier Doug Ford

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Dear Premier Ford, Solicitor General Kerzner et al.,

I write to you with deep concern as it has come to my attention that in December 2023 nearly two hundred prisoners were tortured and humiliated by guards and the so-called Institutional Crisis Intervention Team (ICIT) at Maplehurst Correctional Complex in Milton, Ontario. These actions were taken in response to escalating tensions in the prison and are part of a wider system of abuses of power against Disabled, racialized, and remanded prisoners, among others, at Maplehurst. Further, between January and March 2024, prisoners informed the Ministry about the violence, degradation, and human rights violations occurring with increasing frequency at Maplehurst, yet you have remained idle and silent. Provided forms are ignored, meaningful follow up is not occurring, and long-standing issues are persisting. This reality cannot continue within Maplehurst.

While no one—guilty or innocent—should have their human rights violated, I must also remind you that over 60% of the population at Maplehurst is on remand—meaning they are unsentenced, awaiting their court dates. Many prisoners have not even had a phone call to let anyone know they are in custody and many consider taking plea deals—not because they are guilty—but because of the abhorrent conditions at Maplehurst.

We know that prisons are sites of disablement, halving life expectancy, creating disabilities and worsening existing ones from brain injuries to respiratory issues from mold at Maplehurst to gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and diabetes from the food, a lack of medications access. Not only are prisons sites of disablement but they are also sites of death. At least 45 prisoners have died at Maplehurst since 2000–four in a week and a half period this past February alone.

Yet, we do not know all in-custody prisoner deaths at the facility nor all of the prisoners’ names, dates, causes, or other critical information. From our work, however, we do know policing and incarceration specifically targets Indigenous peoples, Black people, racialized people, poor and working class people, disabled people, and queer and trans people.

I understand that your administration’s solution to “get tough on crime” is to build more prisons, however, I implore you to enact evidence-based solutions that actually reduce crime since policing and prisons only exacerbate it: affordable housing, healthcare, quality education, mental health and addiction supports, recreational opportunities, transformative and restorative justice approaches etc. We know that, instead, a better future that prioritizes community is possible.

As members of the public and on behalf of many prisoners at Maplehurst Correctional Complex we are demanding immediate fulfillment of prisoners’ human rights, an end to torture within the facility, and immediate reporting to the public on actions to be taken to improve conditions within Maplehurst.

Following this letter is a list of non-exhaustive issues that require attention right now that have been reported by prisoners to community members. We urge you to act immediately.

I will be monitoring this situation and we would appreciate your immediate action and urgent reply.

Some of the Issues Reported within the the Maplehurst Correctional Complex to Community Members:

Conditions of violence, degradation, abuse of power that constitute torture by corrections officers against prisoners, including:

- Being forced to report “no injuries” to the nurse by other staff under threat of further injury;

- Injury and disablement (like permanent hearing damage/tinnitus) through the use of flash concussion grenades;

- Injury and disablement through firing pepper ball rounds at prisoners;

- Threatening immediate harm or death with assault rifles;

- Actively assaulting prisoners physically in their cells, loud enough that other units could overhear painful cries;

- Severe nerve, ligament, and joint damage due to prolonged exposure to cold and direct violence from staff, including twisted fingers, being dragged by their wrists down halls/stairways in underwear without socks or shoes.

- Physical restraints, like zip ties, being purposefully over-tightened and twisted on wrists, shoulders, and other body parts to near dislocation;

- Denying healthcare access;

- Engaging in humiliation tactics, mocking and laughing at prisoners while they’re forced to publicly strip, bend over, and spread butt;

- Misusing heating and cooling systems to create unbearable conditions;

Prisoners were forced to sit on the ground facing the wall cross-legged “execution style,” in underwear without socks or shoes for over an hour while the yard gate was propped open, exposing them to the winter elements;

- Prisoners were left in underwear for two days, without socks or shoes for seven days in winter

- Destruction of valuable personal items [e.g. photographs of loved ones both alive and deceased, religious materials, important paperwork]

- Removing bedding, hygiene products including toilet paper, soap, toothbrushes, socks, canteen items

- Bedding purposefully soiled and left for prisoners to use (i.e. pouring shampoo on both sides of mattresses and leaving them for prisoners to sleep on).

- Meal portions being reduced and  chucked through the slot on the floor without no cutlery

- Canteen emptied and never refunded

- Insufficient to no toilet paper e.g. 8-12 rolls/45 people

- Bedding/clothing is washed every 1-3 months

- Not given enough socks e.g. 1 pair for 3 weeks

- Same clothes for 1 week

- Due to extended lockdowns and overcrowding, bedding and clothing are dirtied more quickly

- Untreated skin infections (some starting at least a year ago) impacting many prisoners

- Ongoing extended lockdowns, including for over 30 days

- Some prisoners are only let out approximately every 4 days or longer for either a rushed shower or quick phone call for a maximum of 2 hours

- Prisoners are not receiving time or space for showers, yard time, visits, phone calls, and mail–including from their legal counsel

- Maplehurst is overcrowded, often with three or more people placed in a cell designed for 2 people

- Many have been waiting for over one year for consideration for bail

- Overinflated canteen costs (e.g. $3/100ml toothpaste)

- Prisoners sleeping on the floor are waking up in pools of water; built up condensation is creating mold/mildew

- Prisoners are having to wait weeks before getting a phone call, delaying the possibility of bail and exposing prisoners to dehumanizing conditions and increased likelihood of institutionalization

- Multiple ignored requests for education and programming e.g. GED

- Outdated (20+ years) library that are not currently relevant; old newspapers

- Everyone is punished when one person does something wrong

- Not enough food

- No music

The following are the corresponding demands for rectification:

- Treat prisoners with dignity and respect, end these practices of torture and degradation at Maplehurst

- Always have toilet paper available

- Allow for bedding/clothing to be washed at reasonable intervals

- Provide enough clean clothing especially socks and underwear

- Immediately treat skin infections and enact changes to eliminate them, including allowing:

- Regular showers

- Regular access to clean clothing and bedding

- Investigate source of insects and act accordingly e.g. manage mildew/mold, possible entryways

- Limiting occupancy to two persons per cell

- Ending lockdowns and adhere to 3 day maximum

- Limit cell overcrowding, re-evaluate cases for bail eligibility to reduce crowding

- Make pricing more accessible and provide essentials to prisoners

- Repair plumbing/necessary infrastructure

- Allow phone calls especially at intake

- Reinstate educational programming and facilitate participation

- Restock prisoner library/allow books and timely newspapers

- Limit consequences–no abuse or torture–to the person who did something wrong

- Provide sufficient food according to needs

- Provide access to music to help reduce tensions

Sincerely,

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