Still no accountability for Soleiman Faqiri's jail death: brother

Nearly a year after the jury at a coroner's inquest ruled Soleiman Faqiri's death in an Ontario jail was a homicide, his brother says his family is still waiting for the province to respond to the jury's recommendations to prevent similar tragedies in future.

Soleiman, 30, died on Dec. 15, 2016, at the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ont., after he was repeatedly struck by guards, suffering more than 50 bruises, a post-mortem examination found. He was also pepper-sprayed twice, covered with a spit hood and placed on his stomach on the floor of a segregation cell.

He had schizoaffective disorder, a combination of schizophrenic and bipolar symptoms, and had been arrested 11 days earlier after being accused of stabbing a neighbour during a psychotic episode. 

But Soleiman's brother, Yusuf Faqiri, says nothing has changed since the jury delivered its verdict, along with 57 recommendations aimed at the Ontario government to prevent future deaths in provincial jails. 

"When they keep ignoring coroner's inquests recommendations when more and more deaths happen, it says to us that the system needs to change," Faqiri said in an interview with CBC Radio's Metro Morning on Friday. 

WATCH | Soleiman Faqiri's family still waiting on provincial apology:

Soleiman Faqiri’s brother continues his fight for justice in new documentary

12 days ago

Duration 5:51

It’s been almost a year since Soleiman Faqiri’s deadly restraint by Ontario jail guards in 2016 was deemed a homicide by a coroner’s inquest. Metro Morning’s David Common spoke to Yusuf Faqiri about a new documentary, "My brother, Soleiman," and Yusuf’s continued fight for justice.

The documentary My Brother, Soleiman, streaming on CBC Gem, follows Faqiri as he fights for justice for his brother. It centres around the coroner's inquest, which included CCTV footage revealing Soleiman's final moments inside the prison.

Though the jury's recommendations are not binding and their verdict has no legal consequence, Faqiri said the province should take accountability when vulnerable people die in government custody. 

"People suffering from mental health challenges, their lives are viewed as cheap. It's not viewed the same way as others," he said. "This is very tragic." 

Faqiri said his family is also still waiting for an apology from the Ontario government. 

In May, Solicitor General Michael Kerzner declined to apologize to Soleiman's family, placing the blame on the previous Liberal government. 

"This happened under another government's watch. We are moving forward. We are making the investments and we will do everything that we can to keep Ontario safe," he said at the time. 

Progress has been made: solicitor general's office

Saying the government has not implemented recommendations from the inquest is "categorically false," said Chelsea McGee, the director of communications and issues management for Kerzner, in a statement to CBC Radio on Friday. 

Significant progress has been made to "modernize and enhance the correctional system" since Solemain's death, such as through new facilities and facility expansions, as well as program and policy changes, she said. 

But Faqiri said the provincial government's response is an incorrect.

It hasn't followed through on the jury's first recommendation — to issue a statement recognizing that correctional facilities are not an appropriate environment for people in custody who are experiencing significant mental health issues.  

The jury said the province should issue such a statement within 60 days of their verdict, which was delivered 339 days ago on Friday. 

Faqiri said the government has also failed to create an independent provincial correctional inspectorate to oversee correctional facilities, which the jury also recommended. 

"Building more prisons is not a response," he said. "Canadians need to know what happens in these systems." 

Faqiri said the government's inaction has only made him more persistent in his fight for justice. 

He said he believes the correctional system will change one day. 

"It might not happen in my lifetime," Faqiri said. "But Soleiman mattered. He was a brother, he was a son, and I'm not going to stop until I make sure that his tragedy has an impact [on] systemic policy change within corrections."