The hunger strike at Corradino Correctional Facility's Division 12 has been called off after prisoners aired their grievances in a meeting with the prison director yesterday morning, government sources said yesterday.

On Christmas Day, 42 of the 47 prisoners in the division decided not to eat because they felt they were being discriminated against through fewer visiting rights when compared to inmates in other divisions.

However, a government spokes-man strongly denied the allegations of discrimination and said prisoners were all allowed their basic rights as laid down by law.

Following the inmates' refusal to eat, director Abraham Zammit agreed to hold a meeting with them yesterday morning. Government sources explained that he met five of the inmates and listened to their complaints.

However, it seemed the inmates did not put forward a common complaint but spoke about individual grievances.

The spokesman said the law states that prisoners are allowed at least one visit a week: "That is all the prisoners should expect from the system. It is at the director's discretion to allow or grant any other privileges."

"There is no blanket measure for the divisions. Each prisoner is treated differently and it is always at the director's discretion," the spokesman said.

When contacted, the head of the Prison Board of Visitors Ivan Mifsud said he received an e-mail from the prison director informing him about the protest.

"We informed the prisoners that the board will take up their requests only after efforts failed at management level and can only be used as a last resort," he said.

Mr Mifsud said he will discuss the matter with the director during a meeting tomorrow, which had been scheduled before the hunger strike.