"Come back next week, I'm always happy to talk," the prisoner says, offering a thin, bony handshake.

It's unexpected because back in 1981 one of the most famous hunger strikers in recent human history, the jailed Irish Republican Army activist Bobby Sands, died from malnutrition in the hospital ward of the notorious Maze prison after 66 days.

Sands was just 27 years old. Isa Islam is almost twice his age and clearly isn't expecting any changes to his personal circumstances any time soon. Despite the ever-increasing threat of brain damage and his growing physical weakness, he remains lucid.

Islam is taking only water, and looks even more drawn and emaciated than when The Canberra Times last spoke to him 18 long days ago. He remains manacled to a hospital bed in a small, private ward, several prison officers at his door, within the Canberra Hospital.

Human biological theory suggests that at this advanced stage of ketogenesis -the state in which the body has long finished consuming its stored fat reserves and begins to eat its internal organs - Islam should be at or near a comatose state.

But aside from complaints of abject tiredness during the day and an inability to sleep at night, he clearly believes he has the strength to continue his prolonged battle with ACT Corrective Services over claims of injustices committed during his incarceration. He admits to having experienced a "gradual decline" in his health in the past 10 days.

A green knitted beanie tight on his head and a thin hospital blanket drawn up over bent knees protruding like skeletal knobs, Islam has things he wishes to say, rather than straight answers to deliver.

There are developments in his case which he can't, or won't, discuss. He says he has legal representation but is unwilling to offer details.

Deconstructing his demands to obtain bite-sized answers is like trying to grab at thin air as his replies devolve into mission statements, compellingly delivered yet troublingly obtuse in nature.

The Canberra Times went into the interview wanting answers, but didn't get them.

Isa Islam is a convicted criminal serving concurrent sentences for extremely violent offences.

He repeatedly stabbed his Ainslie village neighbour, Andrew Dyer, in 2008, causing his victim to become a quadriplegic. He was sentenced to nine years for that offence. In 2013, Islam bashed a fellow inmate, Darren Cassidy, so badly that the victim needed four weeks in hospital and comprehensive facial reconstruction.

During his time in jail, Islam has made more than 20 separate claims of discrimination against corrections officers, sought orders requiring prison management to ensure officers and contractors did not breach the Human Rights Act, and required two officers to undergo remedial training in relation to discrimination, unlawful search and seizure, and inmate safety.

He has 10 matters currently listed in the ACT Supreme Court against the Director-General of the Justice and Community Safety Directorate, and a further matter against the parole board.

All are listed for hearing on April 11. For a man bedridden in hospital, weak and refusing to eat, Islam's day in court is a long way away.

He began his hunger strike on December 9 in prison, and was transferred to the Canberra Hospital on January 10.

It has been almost three weeks since he was visited in hospital by the ACT Human Rights Commissioner, Dr Helen Watchirs, in a meeting which was fully expected to result in at least a part-resolution. Islam had previously requested negotiations with either ACT Corrections executive director Jon Peach or a representative equally empowered to make decisions for him.

The ACT government responded by sending Dr Watchirs, a quietly spoken but fierce human rights advocate of considerable experience. He thanked her politely for her time but has his focus firmly set on an audience with those he described as having "the clear authority to affect policies and procedures in the ACT prisons system".

In addition to his ongoing request for negotations "in good faith" with Mr Peach, he has now added ACT Attorney-General Gordon Ramsay and Corrections Minister Shane Rattenbury.

"My goal is to bring transparency and accountability over certain human rights issues within the prisons system," he said.

"I wish to change how the AMC [ACT prison] operates so no inmate has to deal with that again. I want to affect real change.

"Unfortunately my perception is that the ultimate autorities are at this stage unwilling to change AMC policy and procedures. Why? I can't answer that."

ACT Corrective Services says that it "remains willing and ready to engage with the detainee with a view to resolving his concerns. However, this is contingent on the detainee following health advice and commencing re-feeding".

"Ultimately, this is his choice and he continues to do this in full light of the risks."