Class Action Launched Against Canada for Prolonged Administrative Solitary Confinement in Federal Institutions
TORONTO, March 3, 2017 /CNW/ - Koskie Minsky LLP and McCarthy Tétrault LLP have commenced a class action against the Attorney General of Canada alleging systemic infliction of prolonged administrative solitary confinement upon prisoners incarcerated in Federal Institutions.
In prolonged administrative solitary confinement, prisoners are placed in small cells and are denied any meaningful human contact for at least 22 hours per day, for a period of at least 15 consecutive days. This treatment is imposed in instances where the prisoner has done nothing wrong and is not being punished.
The Statement of Claim, issued on March 3, 2017, alleges that by virtue of this practice in federal correctional institutions, Canada has been negligent, has breached its fiduciary duties, has breached various rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, has subjected class members to false imprisonment, intentional infliction of mental suffering, assault, and battery, and has been unjustly enriched.
Jullian Reddock, a prisoner currently incarcerated in the Donnacona Institution in Quebec, is the proposed representative plaintiff on behalf of the class. His counsel believes that thousands of individuals will be included in this class proceeding.
Kirk Baert, co-lead counsel at Koskie Minsky LLP, has stated "Canada has repeatedly ignored calls from domestic and international groups to end the barbaric practice of prolonged administrative solitary confinement, and by doing so, has committed numerous wrongs and breached its statutory obligations owed to prisoners, for which it should be forced to account".
Michael Rosenberg, co-lead counsel at McCarthy Tétrault LLP, has stated "This case provides a voice to these vulnerable class members who have been left to languish in prolonged administrative solitary confinement. They have suffered serious harm and they deserve access to justice".
SOURCE Koskie Minsky LLP
Toll-free hotline: 1-866-777-6311, Email: [email protected], Website: www.kmlaw.ca/federalsolitaryconfinementclassaction; All media inquiries should be directed to James Sayce at Koskie Minsky LLP at 416-542-6298 or Michael Rosenberg at McCarthy Tétrault LLP at 416-601-7831.
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