[Bloquez l'empire!] URGENT - Hunger striker may face death in Canadian prison

[Bloquez l'empire]

From: "Janet Cleveland" <janetcleveland at yahoo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 1:58 PM
Subject: URGENT - Hunger striker may face death in Canadian prison


> HUNGER STRIKER MAY FACE DEATH IN CANADIAN PRISON
> HE NEEDS YOUR HELP TODAY
> Wednesday August 24, 2005
>
> Hassan Almrei is now on Day 63 of his hunger strike. He is
> emaciated and weakened, but his spirit has not yet been
> broken. The light flickers, but has not yet gone out.
>
> Hassan Almrei, a refugee, has been imprisoned in solitary
> confinement without trial in a Canadian prison for 4 years
> under a security certificate, and is under threat of
> deportation to Syria where he risks torture. He is
> demanding minimally decent conditions of detention; his
> main demand is the right to one hour a day of exercise
> outside of his cell. The Ontario government (this is a
> provincial prison) has callously refused to make the
> tiniest concession.
> In July, Alexandre Trudeau, Naomi Klein, Heather Mallick,
> Avi Lewis and other well-known personalities came forward
> to support Hassan Almrei's request for release on bail
> (decision still pending). Questioned about his motives,
> Trudeau stated "I presume he's innocent", adding that it is
> unacceptable that a person be imprisoned in Canada without
> being charged and without the right to a fair and public
> trial. Three of Hassan Almrei's prison guards also
> testified in his favour, stating that he is an
> 'honourable', 'trustworthy' and decent man. One guard even
> stated that he would have no hesitation to have Hassan as a
> neighbour, saying "I would trust him".
> This is Hassan Almrei's 6th hunger strike in four years. On
> previous hunger strikes he has asked for rights as basic as
> heating in his icy cell in winter, but had to go to court
> to obtain them. Almrei is waiting for a court date once
> again, but it may come too late.
>
> By way of comparison: in 1981, Bobby Sands and 9 other IRA
> prisoners on hunger strike died after periods varying from
> 46 to 73 days, after sustaining severe organ damage (e.g.,
> blindness). Several survivors of the strike remained
> permanently handicapped. In 1996, many Kurdish hunger
> strikers in Turkey died after periods of 65 to 69 days.
>
>  Please don't let this happen to Hassan Almrei. Please
> don't let the light go out.
>
> PLEASE WRITE OR CALL MONTE KWINTER, the Ontario minister,
> IMMEDIATELY to ask that Hassan Almrei's demands be met. A
> massive, immediate flood of calls, emails and faxes are
> needed in order to turn the tide.
>
> Mr. Monte Kwinter
> Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
> 18th floor, 25 Grosvenor Street
> Toronto, ON, M7A 1Y6
> Phone: (416) 325-0408
> Fax: (416) 325-6067
> Email: mkwinter.mpp at liberal.ola.org
>
> Here is a sample letter (feel free to copy)
>
> August 24, 2005
> Monte Kwinter
> Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
> Government of Ontario
> Object: Hunger strike of Hassan Almrei
>
> Dear sir,
>
> I am writing to urge you to take immediate action to meet
> the legitimate demands of Hassan Almrei, who has been
> detained without trial in an Ontario prison for four years
> and is now on a hunger strike to demand minimally decent
> conditions of detention. His main demand is for one hour a
> day of exercise outside of his cell.
>
> As of today (Wednesday, August 24), Hassan Almrei is on Day
> 63 of his hunger strike. Hassan Almrei was already in poor
> health before beginning his current hunger strike. He is at
> imminent risk of permanent, severe impairment, and very
> possibly, of death.
>
> By way of comparison: in 1981, Bobby Sands and 9 other IRA
> prisoners on hunger strike died after periods varying from
> 46 to 73 days after sustaining severe organ damage (e.g.,
> blindness). Several survivors of the strike remained
> permanently handicapped. In 1996, many Kurdish hunger
> strikers in Turkey died after periods of 65 to 69 days.
>
> Please intervene immediately to try to find a humane
> solution to this situation. You have the power, and
> therefore the moral responsibility, to resolve this crisis.
>
> As Canadians, we pride ourselves on respecting basic human
> rights. Please remain true to this fundamental value.
> Should Hassan Almrei die or be permanently handicapped, it
> would be to our lasting shame and dishonour as Canadians
> and as members of the human family.
>
> (signature)
> ***********************************************************
>
> You are also invited to CC Anne McLellan and Joe Volpe, the
> federal ministers responsible for security certificates,
> and to add a demand for a fair and public trial for all 5
> men currently detained on security certificates.
> Anne McLellan, Phone: (613) 992-4524 Fax: (613) 943-0044 or
> McLellan.A at parl.gc.ca
> Joe Volpe Phone: (613) 992-6361 Fax: (613) 992-9791 or
> volpej at parl.gc.ca
>
> CC correspondence to Campaign to Stop Secret Trials in
> Canada at tasc at web.ca or fax (416) 651-9770 or by mail to
> PO Box 73620, 509 St. Clair Ave. West, Toronto, ON M6C 1C0,
> or let us know that you have phoned Kwinter's office.
> Hassan Almrei needs to know that he is not alone, that
> there are people who care enough to take action. For more
> information: www.homesnotbombs.ca
>
>
> Janet Cleveland, Ph.D.
> Research associate
> Chaire de recherche du Canada en droit international des
> migrations
> Université de Montréal
>
>