Imagine living the past four years by yourself in a six-by-ten cell, with 24 hour light, no contact with the outside world and no known end to this reality. It sounds like a nightmare and yet this is the life of Adam Capay, a 24 year old Indigenous man, from Northern Ontario.
Horrifyingly, Adam Capay has not even been convicted of a crime and is living his life in solitary awaiting trial.
This inhuman treatment must stop immediately. While the province has stated that Adam has been moved to a different cell, the move is only temporary while regularly scheduled maintenance is done. He will, according to the prison, be put back into solitary when the maintenance is done.
This treatment is unacceptable. No human being should be subjected to such horrible living conditions. Adam has mental health conditions that have worsened considerably in his time in solitary. A representative of the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal spoke with him recently through a small hole in the plexiglass placed in front of his bars, and she witnessed him as moving in and out of consciousness, stating he was "coping with a really terrible situation, and not coping particularly well."
This torture must stop. Sign today to demand Adam Capay be moved permanently from solitary confinement and given appropriate mental health care to rehabilitate after this confinement.
*Photo Credit Hannah, CC 2.0
To David Orazietti,
I am greatly concerned by the recent news about Adam Capay, a 24 year old Indigenous man from Northern Ontario. A recent visit from the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal of a Thunder Bay jail found Mr Capay has been in solitary confinement for the last four years, without a conviction or trial.
This is inhuman treatment and must stop. Mr Capay, according to the Tribunal representative was losing his capacity for language, could not distinguish day from night due to 24 light and was drifting in and out of consciousness. This is a form of torture that no human should endure.
While the prison has stated that Mr Capay is out of solitary for now, he is only out for a regularly scheduled maintenance of his cell and is scheduled to be put back in solitary when the maintenance is done.
This is unacceptable.
I demand that you release Adam Capay from solitary confinement permanently and offer him long-term, appropriate access to mental health care to deal with his stay in solitary.
[Your Comment Here]
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
