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Connecticut nonprofit stages rally for better COVID-19 protections for incarcerated people

Kenyatta Muzzanni, far left, of the Katal Center along with members of the non-profit outside the Connecticut state Capitol building.
Michael Lyle Jr.
/
WSHU Public Radio
Kenyatta Muzzanni, far left, of the Katal Center along with members of the non-profit outside the Connecticut state Capitol building.

Prison reform advocates held a rally outside the Connecticut state Capital to demand lawmakers protect incarcerated people from COVID-19.

The Hartford-based Katal Center of Equity, Health and Justice joined family and community members to protest what they said is the state Legislature’s continued failure to address the spread of the coronavirus in many of its prisons and jails.

A report revealed that nearly 90% of Connecticut’s jail and prison population have tested positive for COVID, and that there have been 29 inmate deaths from the disease.

Kenyatta Muzzanni, the director of the Katal Center, said the group also wanted to make their voices heard inside the building.

“Incarcerated people are actual human beings,” said Muzzanni. “It’s horrifying that it’s been two years in this pandemic and still have not come up with a comprehensive and transparent COVID-19 plan.”

Tiffany Minakhom of the Katal Center said the virus will continue to spread throughout the prisons if lawmakers don’t take action.

“Who knows if there’s going to be another pandemic or another strain of COVID-19,” said Minakhom. “It is their duty to protect those who are currently incarcerated and return them back to their communities.”

The rally came as the current legislative session was set to conclude.

Copyright 2022 WSHU. To see more, visit WSHU.

Michael Lyle Jr.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

Connecticut Public’s journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.