BOSTON - A Massachusetts man who acknowledges launching a computer network attack against Boston Children's Hospital is unapologetic and now waging a hunger strike in prison as he awaits trial.

Martin Gottesfeld says he will continue his three-week-old fast until the presidential candidates pledge to protect institutionalized children from abuse. He says he also wants overzealous federal prosecutors to halt "political prosecutions" of people accused of crimes he considers harmless.

Gottesfeld's arraignment is set for Wednesday on charges of conspiracy and intentionally causing damage to protected computers in the 2014 hack on the hospital and a related attack on a residential treatment facility.

He says he launched the attacks to protest the treatment of a Connecticut teenager who was at the center of a custody fight between Massachusetts and her parents.