"About 70 detainees in the Rijeka prison are still refusing the prison food as they believe that the Rijeka County Court is procrastinating with the adoption of rulings in their cases, which is why they think they have been in custody too long," the head of the Croatian Justice Ministry prison system department, Ivan Damjanovic, told Hina on Monday.
A representative of the Rijeka County Court held talks with the detainees for over two hours today, the court's president, Veljko Miskulin, said on Monday afternoon.
"We don't have a clear picture after those talks or why they are refusing prison meals as some complain about beds, others about food and a third group about the length of their detention," Miskulin said, adding that such conduct "is baffling and aggravating the situation".
Miskulin also said that the protesters were buying food in the prison cafeteria.
Most of the detainees are indicted for serious crimes such as murder, drug abuse or smuggling.
There are currently 140 detainees and convicts in the Rijeka prison.