MARION — Ohioans from across the state protested outside the Marion Correctional Institution on Saturday, carrying signs that said “inmates have rights” and “not a death sentence.”

Hailing from Cleveland, Columbus, Wilmington, Xenia and elsewhere, they called on officials to do more to protect the rights and lives of inmates, who are among the most at risk for infection with the novel coronavirus, which can cause severe respiratory illness or death.

Eighteen Ohio prisoners have died from confirmed or suspected COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, as of Saturday, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, including four from Marion Correctional Institution.

“Inmates have rights. No matter what they’ve done, they don’t want to die here, and they don’t deserve to die,” said Lakiesha Smith of Cleveland. “We just want them to send some help.”

They chose the Marion prison as the site of the protest, where at least 80% of the roughly 2,500 prisoners and at least 169 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19, making the prison the largest known cluster of coronavirus cases in the United States, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and tracking by the New York Times.

Many of the protesters see the virus’ hold on the prison as tantamount to a death sentence for a segment of the prison population.

“If you have any type of heart ... if you have any type of passion for your fellow man, you need to speak up and you need to stand up because this is not right,” said Cleveland resident David Okpara, who was previously incarcerated at the Marion prison. “This is inhumane.”

Earlier this month, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine approved the release of 105 inmates nearing the end of their sentences. As prisoners come within 90 days of their expected release date, he said, officials would continue to review them for potential early release, given the COVID-19 outbreak. Under the criteria DeWine laid out, some prisoners close to release are excluded, including ones who committed violent offenses, have been previously incarcerated in Ohio or had serious prison infractions.

Since mid-March, DeWine said that Ohio’s prison population has dropped by about 844 inmates. There are roughly 49,000 state prisoners in Ohio.

Some of the protesters Saturday were themselves incarcerated at some point. Many had family members or friends in prison.

Tyia Patchen was released from an Ohio prison last year at the end of a six-year sentence.

“So I have a soft spot for people that are incarcerated and have no voice in the situation,” she said. “These people need somebody to speak on their behalf because, unfortunately, in the prison system, that voice is taken away from them.”

She was at the protest Saturday, calling on Ohio officials to release more prisoners close to the end of their sentence or to let them serve the rest of their time on electronic home monitor.

“That’s going to really cut down on the number of inmates and it could possibly save some lives,” she said.

Her children’s dad is in an Ohio prison, and she said prisoners do not feel protected from the virus or that the virus is being taken seriously. They can’t follow guidelines to stay 6 feet away from other people, she said, when their bunk is 2 or 3 feet away.

“They tell them that they’re mandatory to wear face masks, but they give them one face mask and they have to use it for an extended period of time, and then other people are stealing their face masks,” she said.