Inquest Announced into In-Custody Death
A mandatory inquest has been officially called into the death of Taher Hashemi, 50, who died while in custody at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre (OCDC) in August 2021. Regional supervising coroner Dr. Louise McNaughton-Filion announced the probe earlier in November.
Examining the Circumstances
Hashemi died on August 24, 2021, at the provincial facility. Under Ontario's Coroners Act, an inquest is required for any death that occurs while an individual is in custody. The primary purpose of the inquest is to publicly examine the circumstances surrounding his death.
A jury will be assembled to hear the evidence, and they will have the authority to make recommendations aimed at preventing similar fatalities in the future. This process is a critical component of oversight and accountability within the provincial correctional system.
A Second Recent Inquest for OCDC
The announcement regarding Hashemi marks the second such inquest linked to a 2021 death at the OCDC to be revealed in a short period. In late August, the coroner's office announced it would also hold an inquest into the death of Zakaria Sheek Hussein, 27.
Sheek Hussein died at The Ottawa Hospital on July 24, 2021, from injuries he sustained while he was detained at the same facility. The back-to-back announcements highlight a troubling pattern of in-custody deaths at the detention centre within a single year.
The coroner's office has stated that further details for both inquests, including specific dates and locations, will be released to the public at a later time.
