CCMW Statement regarding Soleiman Faqiri
August 8, 2020 – The Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW) is alarmed at the Ontario Provincial Police’s (OPP) decision—for the second time—to not lay charges against the prison officers who allegedly viciously beat Soleiman Faqiri on December 15, 2016, as witnessed by another inmate.
Soleiman died in solitary confinement at the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ontario. He was awaiting a mental health assessment. A 2017 coroner’s report found that Soleiman suffered more than 50 injuries from the prison officers. By the time the paramedics arrived, he was dead.
“The message the OPP is sending to the world here is that if you’re going to murder someone, do it in a group.”
We stand firmly in solidarity with Soleiman Faqiri and his family in condemning his wrongful murder and the OPP’s refusal to lay charges against the officers.
The Faqiri family’s experience confirms their belief that Canada’s Criminal Justice system is unjust and routinely overlooks violence by its officers who are responsible for protecting the prisoners. We call for a thorough and transparent inquiry into the death of Soleiman Faqiri to restore our faith in Canada’s Justice System.
In firm solidarity,
The Canadian Council of Muslim Women