Hassan Diab: As many of us predicted, this citizen, facing deportation to France on highly suspect and contradictory “evidence” after a judicial process that makes me think vaguely of large marsupials, got his bail and was released from jail on June 14.
Eight pointless days inside, to satisfy the vindictive Department of Justice prosecutor, Claude LeFrancois, who continued to argue inanely at the bail hearing that Diab was a flight risk.
The conditions remain onerous, but were, in fact, relaxed somewhat at that hearing. Diab must still pay the costs of his own GPS monitoring bracelet, approximately $2000/month, but he can stay out of the house later.
For further information on this travesty of justice, watch http://www.ustream.tv/channel/prism-tv, or visit http://prism-magazine.com/2011/06/rights-and-security-on-prism-tv-the-hassan-diab-case. Here’s more. And. Also.
The next stop is Justice Minister Rob Nicholson. From the Hassan Diab support committee:
Now that Hassan has been committed for extradition, the next step is in the hands of the Minister of Justice, Mr. Rob Nicholson, who has the power to refuse extradition.
We urge you to write to the Minister of Justice asking him to stop Hassan’s extradition.
In your letter to the Minister, you can point out the appalling unreliability of the French handwriting analysis report. Without this handwriting report, the judge said he could not have committed Hassan for extradition. It is extremely distressing that Canadians can lose their liberty on the basis of such wholly unreliable evidence that would not be accepted in a Canadian trial.
We would appreciate it if you would email a copy of your letter to diabsupport@gmail.com
In addition,
Please consider extending your support through a donation to Hassan’s legal defense fund.
The two-plus year legal battle and the monthly GPS monitoring fee have exhausted Hassan’s financial resources. He urgently needs donations to succeed in his struggle for justice—a struggle we all have a stake in!
Please visit http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org/donate for information on how to donate.
Abousfian Abdelrazik: Still a banned person in his own country, not legally permitted to be employed, his children now barred from child assistance payments by the Quebec government in a revolting latter-day exercise of Sippenhaft, Abdelrazik is currently seeking to be removed from the UN’s 1267 list.
Readers will remember Abdelrazik’s long fight to return to his own country against the wishes of the Harper government. A federal court finally ordered his return, delivering as well some swingeing criticism of then-Minister of Foreign Affairs Lawrence Cannon.
Now Abdelrazik has another uphill climb ahead of him. Any member of the Security Council can place a name on the list, but unanimous consent is required to remove it. There is no day in court, no right to know why one is on the list, no right to confront accusers.
Despite being cleared of any terrorist connections by both the RCMP and CSIS, the Harper government refuses to advocate for him, so this initiative is all up to volunteers. The new UN 1267 committee ombudsman, Canadian Kimberly Prost, will hear his application, but she doesn’t even have the power to make recommendations to the Security Council.
Meanwhile, the latter is fixing to remove senior Taliban leaders from the self-same list. The organs of Realpolitik grind out their ceaseless anti-terrorism theatre to mesmerize the foolish, while crushing innocent people and rewarding the terrorists they claim to be fighting.
Two Canadian citizens, two more victims. Wrong shade, wrong religion, wrong names.
Justice? Relief? Wrong government.