Only 45 prisoners in Guantanamo Bay remain on a hunger strike that began in February. The Muslim holy month of Ramadan marked a turning point for prisoners who wish to honor the traditions of fasting, breaking fast, and prayer, and avoid force feeding.
The inmates are reportedly imbibing in a token amount of nutrients, with some ex-strikers eating the exact minimum number of calories to qualify, or drinking a can of Ensure, the same liquid that would ordinarily be force-fed to them.
According to The Miami Herald and Army Lt. Col. Samuel House, a new policy states that “Detainees in communal living must agree to not hunger strike, for their health and safety.” In return, the inmates are on lockdown just 6 hours per day, communally participating in prayers, mealtime, and socialization the other 18 hours.
Since the last TheCelebrityCafe.com article about the strikes in Guantanamo, the number of prisoners on hunger strike has been slowly falling, writes CBS News. On Wednesday, there were 81; the number seems to have fallen further thanks to the new policy.
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