On May 5, 2025, the family of Soleiman Faqiri, a 30-year-old man with schizophrenia who died in custody at Ontario’s Central East Correctional Centre in 2016, joined forces with civil liberties and mental health advocates to demand government action on 57 recommendations issued by a December 2023 coroner’s inquest. The inquest ruled Faqiri’s death a homicide resulting from violent restraint by correctional officers amid deteriorating mental health. Despite calls for improved mental health care, oversight, and transparency within Ontario’s correctional system, the provincial government has yet to outline plans to implement these reforms, prompting renewed criticism and demands for accountability.
The coroner’s inquest into Soleiman Faqiri’s death presented a comprehensive review of systemic failures within Ontario’s correctional facilities concerning the treatment of inmates experiencing mental health crises. The 57 recommendations put forward in December 2023 emphasize immediate reforms aimed at preventing similar tragedies. These include enhanced mental health training for correctional staff, improved access to psychiatric care, increased oversight of restraint practices, and the establishment of transparent reporting mechanisms for incidents involving use of force.
Soleiman Faqiri, diagnosed with schizophrenia, was subjected to violent physical restraint leading to his death while incarcerated in 2016. The inquest’s conclusion classified his death not as an accident, but as a homicide linked directly to the actions of correctional officers during his mental health deterioration. This ruling has intensified scrutiny over Ontario’s management of inmates with mental illnesses, highlighting longstanding gaps in care and protection.
Family and Advocacy Groups Demand Accountability
Faqiri’s family, together with mental health advocates and civil liberties organizations, have publicly called on the Ontario government to act swiftly in adopting all 57 recommendations. They argue that failure to implement these reforms perpetuates risks to vulnerable inmates and undermines the justice system’s responsibility to protect life and dignity within its custody. The collective voices stress the critical importance of creating a correctional environment that prioritizes mental health support and minimizes reliance on potentially fatal physical restraints.
Government Response and Concerns
As of May 2025, the provincial government has acknowledged the inquest report but has not provided a detailed timeline or plan for enacting the recommended changes. This delay has sparked criticism from advocacy groups who view the lack of concrete action as a disregard for human rights and a missed opportunity for meaningful reform. Experts warn that without prompt implementation, the systemic issues revealed by the inquest could persist, endangering the lives of other inmates with mental health conditions.
Broader Implications for Correctional Mental Health Practices
The Soleiman Faqiri case underscores the urgent need for systemic reform across Ontario’s correctional institutions. Mental health professionals and policy analysts emphasize that improving training, oversight, and mental health service delivery is essential to reduce the use of harmful restraint methods and to safeguard inmate well-being. This case serves as a call to action for correctional systems nationwide to reevaluate how mental illness is managed within custodial settings.
Conclusion
The ongoing advocacy by Soleiman Faqiri’s family and allied groups highlights the critical need for government accountability in the wake of the coroner’s inquest. Implementing the inquest’s 57 recommendations represents a necessary step toward preventing future tragedies and establishing a correctional system that respects and protects inmates’ mental health rights. Observers continue to monitor the Ontario government’s response, emphasizing that timely and transparent action is imperative to restore public trust and promote justice within the province’s correctional facilities.
The case of Soleiman Faqiri has brought to light significant deficiencies in the treatment of mentally ill inmates within Ontario’s correctional system. The coroner’s inquest and its 57 recommendations underscore the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to ensure that the rights and health of vulnerable individuals in custody are safeguarded. While the family and advocacy groups persist in their calls for swift government action, the absence of a clear implementation plan raises concerns about ongoing risks and accountability. Moving forward, a committed and transparent response from the provincial authorities is essential to address systemic issues, prevent similar incidents, and uphold the standards of care required in correctional institutions across Ontario.