[Bloquez l'empire!] STEP UP THE PRESSURE :: RAISE THE MORALE

[Mary Foster]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Abolissons certificats de sécurité" <abolissons at gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 03, 2005 7:11 PM


=======================================
STEP UP THE PRESSURE :: RAISE THE MORALE
=======================================

A two-step campaign in support of the security certificate detainees (from
now til 17 December) ...

***Mohammad Mahjoub has been in prison in Toronto without charge since June
2000, ie FIVE YEARS AND FIVE MONTHS. He does not know when he will get out
and the government is holding him under threat of deportation to Egypt
where, by Immigration Canada's own assessment, he is at risk of torture.
Mahjoub has just been refused release on bail.

This summer, Mohammad Mahjoub went on extended hunger-strike, simply seeking
minimally improved conditions of detention. He ended his strike on promises
from authorities that some of their demands would be met and from the public
that they would follow through with pressure on authorities. Basically
nothing has changed for Mahjoub; he remains in the same prison conditions
and -- like Mahmoud Jaballah, Hassan Almrei and Mohamed Harkat -- he remains
in indefinite, arbitrary detention
under threat of deportation to torture. Adil Charkaoui remains under severe
conditions of release, constant surveillance, as well
as an ever-present threat of deportation to torture.

How much longer can Mohammad and the others last? How much longer can their
families last? The Canadian government seems determined to find out.

=> This is a request for you to do two things from today until 17 December,
the weeks before and after 10 December (international human rights day):

STEP ONE: ACT. Take one concrete action for justice for the five men and
against security certificates (see suggestions of several small actions
below).

STEP TWO: REPORT. Write a letter of support and solidarity to Mahjoub to
tell him what your action was (address below).

> > BACKGROUND < <

Five men in Canada are under active threat of deportation to torture under a
security certificate, a measure which allows the government to lock
non-citizens up under secret evidence, without charge, and deny them a fair
trial. Four remain in prison; the fifth, Adil Charkaoui lives under severe
"preventive" conditions.

In May 2005, the UN Committee Against Torture reprimanded Canada because its
laws and policies did not live up to the absolute, international ban on
deportation to torture. The Canadian government responded by issuing a new
Ministerial decision which, while noting that Mahmoud Jaballah was at
substantial risk of torture or death if deported, nevertheless cleared the
way for his deportation.

In June 2005, non-status people and their supporters marched from Montreal
to Ottawa to demand rights for migrants, including an end to security
certificates. This is one of countless actions, big and small, by
individuals, community organisations and NGOs over the past several years.
The government did not respond, and ignored the
eight-day march on Ottawa.

In November 2005, the UN Human Rights Committee repeated that Canada "should
recognize the absolute nature of the prohibition of torture" noting that "No
person, without any exception, ... may be deported to a country where he/she
runs the risk of being subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment" and advised Canada to "clearly enact this principle into its
law." They also said they were "concerned by the rules and practices
governing the issuance of 'security certificates' ..." and by the fact that
"some people have been detained for several years without criminal charges,
without being adequately informed about the reasons for their detention, and
with limited judicial review." Canada responded with a new judicial decision
denying Mahjoub release on bail, while admitting that his situation was not
likely to change within a reasonable period of time.

***Mahmoud Jaballah has been in prison in Toronto without charge since
August 2001, ie FOUR YEARS AND THREE MONTHS. He is now on his third
certificate; the first was thrown out; he was re-arrested, though CSIS
admitted they had no new information; when the second was thrown out, a
third was immediately issued. He does not know when he will get out.
The Minister of Immigration just confirmed that they would continue the
deportation proceedings against him, despite acknowleding a "substantial
risk" that he will be tortured or killed if sent to Egypt.

***Hassan Almrei has been in prison in Toronto without charge since October
2001, ie FOUR YEARS AND ONE MONTH. He does not know when he will get out and
is under threat of deportation to Syria. Maher Arar recognised in
2003 that Almrei's fate at the hands of Syrian authorities would be worse
than his own if Almrei were deported.

***Mohamed Harkat has been held without charge since December 2002, ie
almost THREE YEARS. Canada has cynically requested "diplomatic assurances"
from his country of birth that he will not be tortured or mistreated if sent
there (just as the US did before sending Maher Arar to Syria). He does not
know when he will get out. When he applied for release on bail, one of the
conditions of release discussed as a possibility was that he not speak
Arabic.

***Adil Charkaoui was released on bail after almost TWO YEARS in prison
without charge. His security certificate has still not even undergone a
judicial review, and his case has been suspended since March. He was
released on conditions that prevent him from leaving home without his mother
or father, prevent him from leaving the island of Montreal, force him to
wear a
GPS tracking bracelet, prevent him from using any but his home phone,
prevent him from using internet, require him to check in with authorities
weekly, require him to allow police 24-hour access to his home, and impose a
curfew. All without any trial and under the
continued threat of deportation to torture.

How much longer can these men last? How much longer can their families
last? If the government has a case against them, it should charge them.
Otherwise, it should let them go, immediately. In no case should it continue
to hold them under threat of torture. It is ONLY strong and concerted public
action which is going to force the government to treat them justly.
Hopefully this will come in time for the detainees.

> > SUGGESTED ACTIONS :: choose one or take your own < <

=> Call or fax Paul Martin and copy Anne McLellan, Joe Volpe and Irwin
Cotler (addresses and model letter below).
=> Visit your MP's office to hand-deliver background information on security
certificates. Ask them to read it and to send a letter to Paul Martin
demanding the immediate liberation of the five men, an end to the threat of
deportation to torture and the end of security certificates. (Prepared info
packets, including the UN recommendations, available: email to
abolissons at gmail.com or
leave a message at tel. 514 859 9023).
=> Set up a presentation on security certificates in your classroom or with
organisations in which you are involved. (In Montreal, speakers are
potentially available from Solidarity across borders
(sansfrontieres at resist.ca or tel. 514 859 9023), No one is illegal (
noii-montreal at resist.ca), Coalition
Justice for Adil Charkaoui (justiceforadil at riseup.net). Ligue des droits et
libertés (communication at liguedesdroits.ca), and Canadian Council for
Refugees
(ccr4 at web.ca) are also working on the issue.)
=> Ask your organisation to send a letter to Paul Martin (use model below).
=> Organise a letter-writing evening OR a visit to an MPs office with
friends.
=> Organise a few friends to pass out flyers outside Canadian Border
Services Agency at 400 Place d'Youville or Immigration Canada offices at
1010 St-Antoine or the riding offices of Prime Minister Paul Martin or
Justice Minister Irwin Cotler. (Prepared flyers available: email to
abolissons at gmail.com or
leave a message at tel. 514 859 9023.)
=> Etc.! No action is too small ... or too big!

> > PRISON ADDRESS < <

Mohammad Mahjoub
Metro West Detention Centre
111 Disco Road
Rexdale, ON M9W 5L6

> > MODEL LETTER or TALKING POINTS < <

Right Honourable Paul Martin
Prime Minister of Canada
telephone 514 363 0954
fax 514 367-5533
email martip at parl.gc.ca

((DATE))

Dear Prime Minister Paul Martin,

Your government is holding Hassan Almrei, Mohamed Harkat, Mahmoud Jaballah
and Mohammad Mahjoub in indefinite, arbitrary detention, under threat of
deportation to torture. These men, all arrested under a "security
certificate", have been denied a fair trial and are being held under secret
evidence. A fifth man, Adil Charkaoui, lives under severely restrictive
conditions of release and threat of torture, though his certificate has not
yet been reviewed. Mahjoub and Almrei went on protracted hunger strikes in
summer 2005, but nothing has changed. In November 2005, Mr. Mahjoub was
refused release on bail, even though it was recognised that it was unlikely
his situation would change within a reasonable period of time.

In May 2005, the UN Committee Against Torture called on Canada to reform its
laws and policies so that they would conform to international law, including
the absolute, international ban on deportation to torture.

In June 2005, non-status people and their supporters marched from Montreal
to Ottawa to demand rights for immigrants and refugees, including an end to
security certificates. This is one of countless actions, big and small, by
individuals, community organisations and NGOs over the past several years to
protest the unjust imprisonment of these men and to call for an end to the
discriminatory security certificate process.

In November 2005, the UN Human Rights Committee repeated that Canada "should
recognize the absolute nature of the prohibition of torture" noting that "No
person, without any exception, ... may be deported to a country where he/she
runs the risk of being subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment" and advised Canada to "clearly enact this principle into its
law." They also said they were "concerned by the rules and practices
governing the issuance of 'security certificates' ..." and by the fact that
"some people have been detained for several years without criminal charges,
without being adequately informed about the reasons for their detention, and
with limited judicial review."

For Mohammad Mahjoub it has been five years and five months. For Mahmoud
Jaballah it has been four years and three months. For Hassan Almrei, over
four years. For Mohamed Harkat, almost three years. Is your government
determined to find out how long these men and their families can last under
these conditions?

If the government has a case against any of these men, it should charge
them, just as it would if they were citizens. Otherwise, it should let them
go, immediately. In no case should it continue to hold them under threat of
deportation to torture.

yours sincerely,

((YOUR NAME))

Copy to:

Anne McLellan
fax (780) 495-2598
email McLelA at parl.gc.ca

Joseph Volpe
fax (416) 781-5586
email volpej at parl.gc.ca

Irwin Cotler
fax (514) 283-2407
email cotlei at parl.gc.ca