Original author: Matt Kieltyka
Source: 24 hours
URL: N/A
Date: June 9, 2005


With a cloaked man locked in a mock jail as a backdrop, human rights groups protested Canadian anti-terrorism laws yesterday in Vancouver.

Amnesty International, B.C. Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA), No One Is Illegal and the Council of Canadians all joined in a nation-wide fight for the rights of four men locked up unconditionally for being "security threats."

"Innocent men are wasting away in jail cells without even being told what the allegations against them are," said Jason Gratl, president of the BCCLA. "It doesn't take a lot for them to be deported to countries where they'll be tortured."

Gratl said the fate of the "Secret Trial Five" (one of the men was set free earlier this year after 21 months) is much like Maher Arar's.

"Arar was deported for having some sort of contact with someone who was under investigation," said Gratl.

Immigration lawyer Zool Suleman says the fight for human rights isn't against the government. Rallies were also held in four other Canadian cities.

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Original author: Brian O'Connor Source: Harkat Listserv ( mohamedharkat at zerra dot net ) Date: June 9, 2005
photo by YayaCanada

We now have new photos on the Web site of June 8th actions. They are courtesy of Ron Saba and YayaCanada. Ottawa, June 8: [link] Montreal, June 8: [link] Alexandre Trudeau, the late Pierre Trudeau's son, was in attendance in Ottawa. He is working on a documentary film about Mohamed Harkat! Thanks to all those who organized and attended these events;

Original author: Tamara Lorincz
Source: The Chronicle-Herald (Halifax, NS)
URL: [link] (subscribers only)
Date: June 8, 2005


Today is the national day of action to demand justice for the five Muslim men who have been detained without charges, and face deportation to torture under the security certificate process. Concerned Canadians are calling on the federal government to abolish security certificates, because they deny refugees and permanent residents who are in Canada their fundamental legal and human rights.

Under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, sections 7-11, Canadians are guaranteed "the right to life, liberty and security of the person . . . to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure . . . not to be arbitrarily detained or imprisoned . . . on arrest or detention to be informed promptly of the reasons . . . to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law in a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal."

These same rights are also stipulated in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, international agreements that Canada claims to endorse. However, these fundamental rights are denied to non-Canadians in Canada under the security certificate process, sections 9, 76-87 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

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Original author: sans frontieres! sansfrontieres at resist dot ca
Source: Coalition Justice pour Adil Charkaoui Listserv
Date: Mon, 30 May 2005


[Second announcement; Please post and forward widely; Important updates below.]

The NO ONE IS ILLEGAL MARCH ON OTTAWA will begin in less than three short weeks! The march, organized by Solidarity Across Borders in Montreal, will begin on June 18 and walk from Montreal to Ottawa (over 200 kilometres), arriving on June 25.

The four basic demands of the Solidarity Across Borders network are: the regularization of all non-status people in Canada; an end to deportations; an end to detentions; and the abolition of security certificates. Solidarity Across Borders is a Montreal-area campaign initiated by several groups active in defending the rights of migrants, immigrants and refugees. The majority of groups within Solidarity Across Borders are self-organized committees of persons directed affected by repressive anti-immigrant and "anti-terrorist" laws and regulations.

Below you will find some important updates concerning the march. We need your involvement, your solidarity and your support! Please read and get in touch.

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I have added a new document to the Downloads section. Here: [link]
It is Amnesty Canada's recent submission to the Special Senate Committee on the Anti-Terrorism Act and House of Commons Sub-Committee on Public Safety and National Security. They are reviewing Canada's Anti-Terrorism Act. The title of the report is "Security Through Human Rights"

On the subject of security certificates they recommend, as they have in the past: "The security certificate process should be reformed so as to bring it into line with Canada's international human rights obligations, including by ensuring a substantive review of the reasons for detention and by making all evidence available to the individual detained so that any potentially unfounded allegations can be effectively and meaningfully challenged. Canadian law should be amended to conform to the important binding international obligation to never deport any individual to a country where there is a serious risk of torture."

[ Read the rest ... ]

Original author: N/A
Source: 24 hours news services
URL: N/A
Date: May 26, 2005

Amnesty International says the U.S.-led war on terror is taking a massive toll on human rights, citing Canada as a cohort country trampling rights in the name of security.

In its annual report released yesterday, Amnesty names Canada for several human rights abuses.

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Source: Canadian Peace Alliance URL: [link] Date: April, 2005 Canadian Peace Alliance Position on Immigration Security Certificates

The security certificate is a measure of the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, by which a refugee or permanent resident in Canada can be imprisoned indefinitely without charge on secret evidence, and deported to his/her country of origin, even if such deportation bears a substantial risk of torture or death. A security certificate is signed by two federal cabinet ministers who decide, based on secret intelligence, that a refugee or immigrant is a danger to Canada. Citizens of Canada are not subject to the security certificate process. Neither the person named in a security certificate, nor his/her lawyer, is given access to the precise allegations or provided with the secret evidence against him/her.

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Original author: Sophie Harkat
Source: Justice for Mohamed Harkat Listserv
justiceformohamedharkat at lists dot riseup dot net
Date: May 13, 2005


Dear Friends and Supporters, (sorry no french translation)

We are having a protest on this upcoming Wednesday, May 18th from 8-9 AM !!, and we need your help. We will be having a silent protest in front of the National Archives representing a "tableaux". We need 27 people to fill up orange suits (like prison suits) to represent the amount of individuals that have been detained and deported under Security Certificates. One of whom is my husband Mohamed Harkat detained since Dec. 10th, 2002. This protest can be very significant if we can make it happen. You have more details below on why we are having this protest. Please respond to [email] if you are free that morning to fill a suit ! We really want this event to be a success. Hope you can help us make it happen....please tell your friends. Hoping to hear from you !

PS....we would meet at 7:45am across the street at the church to get ready. Please let me know by Monday 7PM.

Thanks in advance Sophie Harkat

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Original author: Matthew Behrens of The Campaign to Stop Secret Trials in Canada Source: TASC Email List Date: May 4, 2005 (please forward far and wide) Join the June 8 National Day of Action to End Canadian Deportation to Torture and Abolish Secret Trials

The month of June is marked by numerous anniversaries, among them the Canadian ratification of the Convention Against Torture (June 24, 1987) and the signing of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (which forbids torture and inhuman or degrading treatment, slavery or involuntary servitude, arbitrary arrest and detention). Both of them are vitally relevant to the issue of secret trials in Canada and deportation to torture. June 20 is also World Refugee Day. June 26 is the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. Both will no doubt be marked with solemn yet hypocritical words of wisdom from Canadian political leaders.

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