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urgent

 

political prisoners: canadian security certificates
2004 ~ 2005 ~ 2006 ~ 2007 ~ 2008
 

historical note: in 1755 for eight years, england deported eleven thousand or more french acadians from atlantic canada; history has gradually come to understand this as a crime; currently, canadian security certificate arrests offer the state a means of removing non-citizens considered a threat; this requires approval by the solicitor general and minister of immigration; the cases are heard in secret before a federal court judge and pre-empt other immigration actions; if the arrest is deemed reasonable the victim is deported; the decision is final; victims can be held without knowing what the charges are; general notes on contemporary application.

the following were placed in prison without charge, under canadian security certificates:  


mohamed harkat, ottawa, canada, arrested december 2002, fled algeria in 1992 when algerian generals took over after an islamic democratic victory; canadian security believes he is an alquaida "sleeper;" he is one of several hundred algerians who risk deportation (according to cbc dec 18, 2002); two witnesses called by his lawyer have both backed out of testifying, one under overt warning by canadian security (cbc jul. 22, 2003); at risk of death if deported to algeria (campaign to stop secret trials in canada, http://www.homesnotbombs.ca/harkathearing1.htm); update: dec. 6, 2004 federal court trial date in ottawa - see justice for mohamed harkat [link update] for the current status of these security certificate detainees; update march 22, 2005: a canadian federal court affirms the right of incarceration without trial as practised by canadian security certificates, specifically in the instance of mohamed harkat who remains threatened with deportation to algeria ("federal court upholds harkat's detention," march 22, 2005, cbc news); update: one of the "suspected members of the bin laden network" ("presentation by the director of canadian security intelligence service to the subcommittee on public safety and national security, february 22, 2005," csis); update: december 10th, international human rights day, is also the third anniversary of mohamed harkat's imprisonment in ottawa, without being charged or knowing the evidence against him ("dec. 10, international human rights day: stop secret trials in canada," lamarche, dec. 4, 2005, email); the timing and extremes of the detention seem intended to frighten people who believe in human rights; update december 30, 2005 : in a ruling made public today a federal judge refused release from security detention ("court refuses to order harkat's release," dec. 30, 2005, cbc.news); update of jan. 28, 2006: mohamed harkat will be able to challenge the legality of security certificates at the supreme court of canada, in june ("supreme court to consider harkat's appeal," canadian press, jan. 19, 2006, globeandmail.com); update march 15, 2006: bail hearings again march 8 -10; also, a group of harkat supporters protested the new prison currently in progress at millhaven in kingston, where they believe the detainees are to be moved ("building terror jail riles activists," staff, march 12, 2006, ottawa sun); update: to challenge the constitutionality of his security certificate before the supreme court of canada june 15, 2006 (april 20, 2006, justice for mohamed harkat [access:http://zerra.net/freemohamed/news.php]); update: transferred april 24, 2006, to "guantanamo north," a new canadian facility within the confines of millhaven penitentiary in kingston; canadiansecurity certificates are said to be enforced by the border services agency ("canada opens new prison facility for security suspects," april 24, 2006, cbc news); update may 23, 2006: to be released; a canadian federal judge has allowed mohamed harkat released from his imprisonment on a canadian security certificate, the mechanism that essentially strips victims of legal rights and human rights built through centuries in the gradual advancements of euro-american law; the judge's bail conditions balance risks found by others ("canada releases terrorism suspect on bail," reuters, may 23, 2006, reuters foundation alertnet; "terrorist suspect harkat ordered released on bail,' andrew duffy, may 23, 2006, ottawa citizen; "judge grants bail in security case," may 23, 2006, cbc news); update of june 22, 2006: released ~ mohamed harkat was finally released on bail with an electronic monitoring device, june 21rst; according to an article in ottawa's local paper current evidence from the states suggests information against him was obtained under c.i.a. torture from an unstable informant; csis evidence against harkat remains a secret ("harkat informant called 'insane'," ian macleod, june 22, 2006, the ottawa citizen); there is no proven evidence against this man; update of july 18, 2006: the canadian border services agency decided july 14th to deport mohamed harkat to algeriawhere the detained fears he will be tortured; currently on house arrest his case challenging the legality of canadian security certificates remains before the supreme court of canada; according to the citizen, if the court recognizes the unconstitutionality of the certificates the deportation may be dropped ("government orders harkat back to algeria," andrew duffy, july 18, 2006, ottawa citizen); update of feb. 23, 2007: in a 9 to 0 decision the supreme court found imprisonment without trial illegal, overturning current application of canadian security certificates but giving the government a year to re-write the law ("top canadian court strikes down anti-terror law," david ljunggren, feb. 23, 2007, reuters canada; "canadian supreme court annuls anti-terror measure," andrew mayeda , canwest, feb. 23, 2007, the gazette, montreal); * update may 12, 2007: despite the canadian supreme court decision noting the illegality of canadian security certificates, the conservative government is still pressing for moe harkat's deportation without a fair trial; there is a judicial review 15 to17 may with an attempt for stay of proceedings may 10, 2007, that was to be ruled on may 11th; the federal court of canada decided instead to wait on the review until the security law is re-written ("court to rule on efforts to deport terrorism suspect," may 11, 2007, cbc news; "judge puts review of harkat deportation on ice," canadian press, may 11, 2007, globeandmail.com; and see justice for mohamed harkat [link update]);update feb. 24, 2008: see general notes.

 

 

hassan almrei, toronto, canada, arrested in october 2001, held in solitary ever since; as of november 2003, was able to plead to the court for shoes and warmth in his cell; (cbc, november 11, 2003):(http://tools4change.org/encamino/index.html); update: as of june 4 (report from the campaign to stop secret trials in canada -toronto) hassan almrei has passed 32 months in solitary confinement; this is cruel and unjust punishment of a man convicted of no crime; update: one of the "suspected members of the bin laden network" ("presentation by the director of canadian security intelligence service to the subcommittee on public safety and national security, february 22, 2005," csis); update: on march 11, 2005 a federal court justice found the canadian government "patently unreasonable" in deciding to deport this person to syria ("secret trial detainee hassan almrei wins significant court decision on deportation to torture in syria,"behrens, march 12, 2005, campaign to stop secret trials; see also new socialist); update: on july 20, 2005, at a federal court bail hearing in toronto, this syrian refugee, imprisoned under a canadian security certificate for nearly four years, claims he has never had ties to bin-laden or al-qaeda ("detainee tells court he has no ties to al-qaeda," july 20, 2005, cbc news); the prisoner has served in the military and a company he worked for may have sold honey to al-qaeda, and he was a prayer leader ("terror 'pedigree' makes syrian detainee a threat," d'andrea, july 19, 2005, ottawa citizen); update: on august 26, hassan almrei entered day 66 of a hunger strike protesting his life in detention ("security certificate case to be heard by supreme court," marina jiminez, aug. 26, 2005 reuters, globe and mail, globeandmail.com); on august 29th the court will hear his plea for bail under rights of habeas corpus ("rally for two hunger striking security certificate detainees thursday september 1 vancouver art gallery," no one is illegal-vancouver, posted nowar-paix aug. 28, 2005); see urgent; update:on september 3rd at about 4 in the afternoon hassan almrei suspended his hunger strike of 73 days duration, partly in response to stirrings of solidarity in the muslim and civil rights communities ("hassan almrei ends 73-day hunger strike on a hopeful note, mahjoub still starving," behrens, campaign to stop secret trials in canada, sept. 3, 2005, various email); update: on dec. 6, 2005, in toronto, bail was denied hassan almrei in federal court on grounds of national security; he remains at risk of deportation to syria and torture ("detainee loses bid for bail," teotonio, dec. 6, 2005, toronto star; see also justice for mohamed harkat, access: http://www.zerra.net/freemohamed/news.php [link update]; update jan. 28, 2006: hassan almrei will be able to challenge his denial of bail this summer ("supreme court of canada agrees to hear bail appeal from secret trial detainee hassan almrei; decision to hear historic case comes one day after syrian refugee marks four full years in solitary confinement," oct. 20, 2005, campaign to stop secret trials in canada); update: to challenge the constitutionality of his security certificate before the supreme court of canada june 14, 2006 (april 20, 2006, justice for mohamed harkat [access:http://zerra.net/freemohamed/news.php]); update: transferred april 24, 2006, to "guantanamo north," a new canadian facility within the confines of millhaven penitentiary in kingston; canadiansecurity certificates are said to be enforced by the border services agency ("canada opens new prison facility for security suspects," april 24, 2006, cbc news); from urgent june 15, 2006, kingston ontario: three security certificate detainees remain on hunger strike: mohammad mahjoub, mahmoud jaballah (medical difficulties), hassan almrei; the lengths of their hunger strikes are difficult to verify; the current medical condition / safety of the prisoners is not revealed to the canadian people; inadequate information is allowed the press; according to "terror suspect falls ill after hunger strike," brett popplewell, may 25, 2006, canadian press, all three started their hunger strike may 22nd, and are under the responsibility of the canadian border services agency; see also june 5th entry justice for mohamed harkat [access: http://www.zerra.net/freemohamed/detainee_mahjoub.php]; update, june 22, 2006: on hunger strike again without adequate medical supervision: see urgent; from urgent june 22, 2006, kingston immigration holding centre: a recent mailing from campaign to stop secret trials in canada updates the condition of the three security certificate detainees remaining in prison; on hunger strike are mahmoud jaballah and mohammad mahjoub (since may 23rd) , hassan almrei (since may 13); no doctor has been provided; the newsletter also states "the federal government has ordered that the men not have any access to the media" ("month-long hunger strike continues at kingston, ontario's gitmo north," june 21, 2006, tasc); mohamed harkat, a fourth security certificate detainee held at the kingston facility, was released on bail june 21rst ("harkat informant called 'insane'," ian macleod, june 22, 2006, the ottawa citizen); from urgent june 28, 2006, kingston immigration holding centre: although the press is still barred from access to canada's special prison for security certificate detainees, the three hunger strikers are now eating again after minimal improvements in the conditions of their detention without trial; canada's supreme court continues to consider the validity of the security certificates which hold them (press release, june 28, 2006, hunger-strike support committee, [nowar-paix] victory for hunger-strikers at guantanamo north); from urgent december 16, 2006, kingston ontario: at the holding centre in kingston (kihc) mohammad mahjoub has been on hunger strike for twenty days; hassan almrei for nine days; mahmoud jaballah, nine days; supporters claim that majoub has been denied (since september) medical treatment for hepatitis c and for his high blood pressure; detainees demands include presence of supervisor at transfers with guards between buildings; among other demands they are asking for replacement of corrections services personnel with border security personnel ("canada's secret trial detainees on hunger strike at guantanamo bay north, kingston, ontario, denial of medical treatment, lack of personal safety among key issues," Dec. 15, 2006, tasc e-mail); this is the third hunger strike of these three men who are not found guilty of a crime; see the update of sept 24, 2005, "mohammad mahjoub has ended a 79 day hunger strike after receiving a written guarantee from provincial government that he would receive the medical care he has requested;" sept. 3rd 2005 hassan almrei ended his 73 day hunger strike; previous hunger strikes have increased the risk of these actions; urgent update january 9, 2007: this news of the guantanamo north hunger strike relies on "open letter from gitmo north; hunger strike update," jan. 8, 2007, tasc email: mohammad mahjoub has fasted 45 days, mahmoud jaballah 34 days, hassan almrei 34 days; the men are medically at risk through previous hunger strikes, a risk increasing with the length of this hunger strike; additional medical conditions specified: mahjoub is in need of hepatitis medication and treatment for high blood pressure and is in occasionally intense pain; jaballah requires a double hernia operation; there has not been daily medical monitoring of the hunger strikers; there appears to be a refusal of adequate health care; the letter indicates a liquid diet but in general an inadequate response by the kingston immigration holding centre to the health of three men who have not been judged in a canadian court or found guilty of any crime; deprived of a voice the prisoners have asked the people of canada to appeal for justice; gerald and maas asks the government of canada to honour the principle of habeas corpus and extend an understanding of humanity to these three muslim detainees, and to honour canada's charter of rights, and with compassion to free the detainees to the care of their friends and families, while the legality and appropriateness of the imprisonment is settled in canadian courts; urgent update january 24, 2007: the federal government won't negotiate their demands so mohammad mahjoub, hassan almrei, mahmoud jaballah, remain on hunger strike without medical monitoring; over sixty health professionals have signed a letter finding the men "at risk of severe hypotension or hypertension, renal failure, cardiac arrhythmia, heart failure and a variety of life-threatening disorders" ("[psi-news] update: health workers intervene in hungerstrikes at canada's guantanamo north," psi, jan. 23, 2007, email list); for more information and whom to contact : justice for mohamed harkat at www.zerra.net/freemohamed or justice for adil charkaoui at www.adilinfo.org , or open letter at http://homesnotbombs.ca/openletter.htm; medical alert; february 3, 2007: see urgent; update of feb. 23, 2007: in a 9 to 0 decision the supreme court found imprisonment without trial illegal, overturning current application of canadian security certificates but giving the government a year to re-write the law ("top canadian court strikes down anti-terror law," david ljunggren, feb. 23, 2007, reuters canada; "canadian supreme court annuls anti-terror measure," andrew mayeda , canwest, feb. 23, 2007, the gazette, montreal); may 12, 2007: see urgent, the final security certificate detainee of five, he remains in solitary confinement while the others are out; it is the 156th day of his fluids-only hunger strike and he is in a medical emergency; he is striking for his human dignity, and bearable conditions; he is under law an innocent ("guantanamo north staff warns hungerstrike may result in death," press release, may 7 11, 2007, solidarity across borders with thanks to justice for mohamed harkat); update may 13, 2007, montreal: justice for adil has announced that while hassan almrei remains in prison, he has found agreement with authorities to end his hunger strike as of late on friday, may 11th ("re. fw: re. hassan almrei," may 13, 2007, justiceforadil@riseup.net; "almrei calls halt to hunger strike," may 13, 2007, justice pour adil); my previous posting of early saturday a.m. stands corrected with the length of hassan almrei's fluids-only hunger strike, 155 days , - ed.; update may 18, 2007: the mississauga news has confirmed that hassan almrei has ended his hunger strike of "156 days of drinking only water and juice" on may 11th; the exact conditions of the agreement with canadian border services agency are not revealed; his struggle for improved prison conditions finds its way to a court hearing may 28th ("terror suspect ends hunger strike," louie rosella, may 15, 2007, the mississauga news); update aug. 16, 2007: hassan almrei appeared in court for a bail hearing july 10th; an unofficial report of the hearings mentioned the judge's revelation that csis had supplied him (the judge) with "two volumes of new secret allegations," yet he seemed unimpressed with them; almrei's lawyer paul copeland, is attempting to free him on bail to home detention approximating the detention of the four released (with appreciation to justice for mohamed harkat, "almrei in court, and media not," diana ralph letter, july 12, 2007); update of oct. 6, 2007: yesterday hassan almrei was denied release to house arrest as a result of secret evidence supplied the federal judge (see above), suggesting that the detained man is a danger to national security; denying principles of habeas corpus, of charter rights and human rights, the courts are holding hassan almrei under the year's grace period offered by the supreme court decision which found security certificate procedures illegal; in matthew behrens' letter on the case, he notes judge lemieux's fear that "the risk of surreptitious communication by mr. almrei is too great" ("secret trial detainee hassan almrei denied bail based on secret 'evidence'," matthew behrens, oct. 6, 2007, tasc email); the singularity of his lockup leaves hassan almrei in extended isolation; the duress of his experience without proof of guilt or trial, the physicial damage of his hunger strikes to gain human rights which are his under law, the continued holding of this prisoner effectively freed by the supreme court's recognition of security certificate injustice suggests 1. that his instance is being used as a threat to the muslim community in general; 2. that his abnormal treatment might coincide with studies of muslim prisoners (such experimentation is expressly forbidden by the united nations); 3. that like omar khadr who remains in guantanamo almrei is a canadian national sacrifice to fascist policies of the bush administration. - ed. ; update, feb. 24, 2008: see general notes.

 

 

adil charkaoui, montreal, canada, from morocco; phd art student, married, child and another on the way, arrested may 16, 2003 (source: en camino june 3, 2003, http://tools4change.org/encamino/index.html); update: adil charkaoui is again at risk of deportation by canada to morocco, despite immigration canada's assessment in august of 2003 that deportation could result in torture; charkaoui has not been legally charged with anything; update, feb. 17, 2005, montreal: released, on bail with conditions (cbc news feb. 17, 2005); update: "a suspected member of al qaeda" ("presentation by the director of canadian security intelligence service to the subcommittee on public safety and national security, february 22, 2005," csis); update: the supreme court of canada announced august 25th, it will hear adil charkaoui's appeal questioning the use of security certificates ("security certificate case to be heard by supreme court," marina jiminez, aug. 26, 2005 reuters, globe and mail, globeandmail.com); update april 21, 2006: after release on bail in montreal, a warrant was discovered for his arrest in morocco, based on evidence obtained by torture, and providing obstacles to current canadian immigration's attempts to deport him ("adil charkaoui," wikipedia accessed april 20, 2006); to challenge the constitutionality of his security certificate before the supreme court of canada june 13, 2006 (april 20, 2006, justice for mohamed harkat [access:http://zerra.net/freemohamed/news.php]); update of feb. 23, 2007: in a 9 to 0 decision the supreme court found imprisonment without trial illegal, overturning current application of canadian security certificates but giving the government a year to re-write the law ("top canadian court strikes down anti-terror law," david ljunggren, feb. 23, 2007, reuters canada; "canadian supreme court annuls anti-terror measure," andrew mayeda , canwest, feb. 23, 2007, the gazette, montreal); update april 22, 2007: a press release from justice for adil reveals ahmed ressam, held in a u.s. prison, has admitted he made up charges against adil charkaoui, and these made up part of the csis case against him; other evidence against charkaoui supplied by abu zubaydah was thrown out by federal court because it was possibly obtained by u.s. use of torture; other evidence supplied by a moroccan prisoner may also have been influenced by torture - these parts of the canadian intelligence action have been negated; the length of ressam's prison term was adjusted if he supplied the u.s. with information on others ("charkaoui: csis should be questioned about ressam 'evidence'," press release, april 2O, 2007, justice for adil email); please consider: to what extent do all detentions without trial depend on faulty or illegally obtained evidence; is that why "secret" proceedings are "secret"; update of august 26, 2007: on aug. 22nd adil charkaoui asked the court to have his bail restricitons removed; what csis considered evidence against him is increasingly being entirely discredited ("charkaoui witness recants, reporter tells court," aug. 22, 2007, cbc news; "charkaoui seeks to have strict conditions dropped," sikander hashmi, aug. 22, 2007, the gazette - montreal); update september 25, 2007: currentlyin court adil charkaoui has claimed that the information leaks in his case violate his charter rights;despite the supreme court decision underscoring the illegality of security certificates in their application to these men, each remains bound by restrictions and threatened deporation("reminder: monday, 24 sept join csis watch in federal court," sept. 20, 2007, justice for adil email); update of oct. 14, 2007: on october 10th federal court ruled that adil charkaoui will have to continue to suffer his restrictive bail conditions, despite the supreme court's ruling of improper procedure in application of security certificates without trial ("release: decision to refuse deeply disappointing," coalition justice for adil, oct. 11, 2007, justice for adil email; "charkaoui's bail conditions to stand, tu thanh ha, oct. 10, 2007, globe and mail); update feb. 24, 2008: see general notes.

 

 

mahmoud jaballah, toronto, canada; egyptian refugee re-arrested with a second security certificate in august, 2001; not informed of the case against him; risk of death if deported to egypt (source: may 25, 2003, campaign to stop secret trials in canada, http://www.homesnotbombs.ca/jaballahabuse.htm); update: "senior operative of the egyptian islamic terrorist organization al jihad and al qaeda" (from a "presentation by the director of canadian security intelligence service to the subcommittee on public safety and natiional security, february 22, 2005," csis); update: without trial these detainees are being punished by the methods of their imprisonment; the detainee is not allowed to hug his children; see : www.cageprisoners.com/campaigns.php?id=124 , "demand monthly contact visits for canada's secret trial detainees," 07/04/05; update: citizenship and immigration canada is continuing its attempt to deport mahmoud jaballah, father of six, detained on a canadian security certificate, though entirely aware he might be tortured or killed in egypt ("canada defies united nations and paves the way to deport secret trial detainee mahmoud jaballah to torture in egypt," oct. 4, 2005, campaign to stop secret trials in canada see: http://www.homesnotbombs.ca/jaballah2.htm); update march 17, 2006: a federal court judge has ruled in favour of the canadian government's decision to deport this suspect to egypt; his lawyer barbara jackman says he would be tortured; the question of the legality of his security certificate is still in the courts ("canada courts rule against terror suspects," beth duff-brown, ap, march 16, 2006, the state.com ~ south carolina's homepage); it is difficult to reconcile this decision with canadian and international law which doesn't normally allow deportation to torture; update: against all prohibitions to deportations to torture, on march 16, 2006 a judge of the federal court, andrew mackay, has found legal an immigration ministry decision to deport this man despite the possibility of torture or death penalty ("federal court of canada gives the green light to deportation to torture,"march 16, 2006, ontario coalition against poverty); update: transferred april 24, 2006, to "guantanamo north," a new canadian facility within the confines of millhaven penitentiary in kingston; canadiansecurity certificates are said to be enforced by the border services agency ("canada opens new prison facility for security suspects," april 24, 2006, cbc news); from urgent june 15, 2006, kingston ontario: three security certificate detainees remain on hunger strike: mohammad mahjoub, mahmoud jaballah (medical difficulties), hassan almrei; the lengths of their hunger strikes are difficult to verify; the current medical condition / safety of the prisoners is not revealed to the canadian people; inadequate information is allowed the press; according to "terror suspect falls ill after hunger strike," brett popplewell, may 25, 2006, canadian press, all three started their hunger strike may 22nd, and are under the responsibility of the canadian border services agency; see also june 5th entry justice for mohamed harkat [access: http://www.zerra.net/freemohamed/detainee_mahjoub.php]; update, june 22, 2006: on hunger strike again without adequate medical supervision: see urgent; from urgent june 22, 2006, kingston immigration holding centre: a recent mailing from campaign to stop secret trials in canada updates the condition of the three security certificate detainees remaining in prison; on hunger strike are mahmoud jaballah and mohammad mahjoub (since may 23rd) , hassan almrei (since may 13); no doctor has been provided; the newsletter also states "the federal government has ordered that the men not have any access to the media" ("month-long hunger strike continues at kingston, ontario's gitmo north," june 21, 2006, tasc); mohamed harkat, a fourth security certificate detainee held at the kingston facility, was released on bail june 21rst ("harkat informant called 'insane'," ian macleod, june 22, 2006, the ottawa citizen); from urgent june 28, 2006, kingston immigration holding centre: although the press is still barred from access to canada's special prison for security certificate detainees, the three hunger strikers are now eating again after minimal improvements in the conditions of their detention without trial; canada's supreme court continues to consider the validity of the security certificates which hold them (press release, june 28, 2006, hunger-strike support committee, [nowar-paix] victory for hunger-strikers at guantanamo north); update october 18, 2006: on oct. 16th, a canadian federal court ruled the detainee can't be deported to death, torture, or cruelty as punishment, while finding the government correct in holding him; the supreme court of canada will soon rule on the legality of canadian security certificates; mahmoud jaballah's lawyers recently presented his request for bail so that the man might be with his wife and children in toronto after five years in detention without right to trial or to know the evidence against him ("accused terrorist's wife lets loose 'this has been going on for five years,' she shouts at bail hearing," curtis rush, oct. 11, 2006, toronto star; “federal court rules secret trial detainee mahmoud jaballah cannot be deported to torture...,” oct. 16, 2006, tasc tasc@web.ca;"case against jaballah upheld by court," stewart bell, oct. 17, 2006, national post; from urgent december 16, 2006, kingston ontario: at the holding centre in kingston (kihc) mohammad mahjoub has been on hunger strike for twenty days; hassan almrei for nine days; mahmoud jaballah, nine days; supporters claim that majoub has been denied (since september) medical treatment for hepatitis c and for his high blood pressure; detainees demands include presence of superviser at transfers with guards between buildings; among other demands they are asking for replacement of corrections services personnel with border security personnel ("canada's secret trial detainees on hunger strike at guantanamo bay north, kingston, ontario, denial of medical treatment, lack of personal safety among key issues," Dec. 15, 2006, tasc e-mail); this is the third hunger strike of these three men who are not found guilty of a crime; see the update of sept 24, 2005, "mohammad mahjoub has ended a 79 day hunger strike after receiving a written guarantee from provincial government that he would receive the medical care he has requested;" sept. 3rd 2005 hassan almrei ended his 73 day hunger strike; previous hunger strikes have increased the risk of these actions; urgent update january 9, 2007: this news of the guantanamo north hunger strike relies on "open letter from gitmo north; hunger strike update," jan. 8, 2007, tasc email: mohammad mahjoub has fasted 45 days, mahmoud jaballah 34 days, hassan almrei 34 days; the men are medically at risk through previous hunger strikes, a risk increasing with the length of this hunger strike; additional medical conditions specified: mahjoub is in need of hepatitis medication and treatment for high blood pressure and is in occasionally intense pain; jaballah requires a double hernia operation; there has not been daily medical monitoring of the hunger strikers; there appears to be a refusal of adequate health care; the letter indicates a liquid diet but in general an inadequate response by the kingston immigration holding centre to the health of three men who have not been judged in a canadian court or found guilty of any crime; deprived of a voice the prisoners have asked the people of canada to appeal for justice; gerald and maas asks the government of canada to honour the principle of habeas corpus and extend an understanding of humanity to these three muslim detainees, and to honour canada's charter of rights, and with compassion to free the detainees to the care of their friends and families, while the legality and appropriateness of the imprisonment is settled in canadian courts; urgent update january 24, 2007: the federal government won't negotiate their demands so mohammad mahjoub, hassan almrei, mahmoud jaballah, remain on hunger strike without medical monitoring; over sixty health professionals have signed a letter finding the men "at risk of severe hypotension or hypertension, renal failure, cardiac arrhythmia, heart failure and a variety of life-threatening disorders" ("[psi-news] update: health workers intervene in hungerstrikes at canada's guantanamo north," psi, jan. 23,2007, email list); for more information and whom to contact : justice for mohamed harkat at www.zerra.net/freemohamed or justice for adil charkaoui at www.adilinfo.org , or open letter at http://homesnotbombs.ca/openletter.htm; medical alert; february 3, 2007: see urgent; update of feb. 23, 2007: a supreme court ruling in the cases of three other detainees has found canadian security certificates as currently applied, illegal; update of march 8, 2007: a federal court judge has decided mahmoud jaballah is to be released on bail to return to his family while on house arrest; conditions will be discussed in court on march 22nd ("terror suspect given freedom," canadian press, march 7, 2007, the hamilton spectator ; "jaballah to get bail; next steps in secret trial campaign...," march 6, 2006, email tasc); update april 14, 2007: mahmoud jaballah was released april 13, 2007, to be kept under stringent conditions of home detention and surveillance, which limits the freedom of his family as well ("judge 'frees" senior terrorism suspect," colin freeze, april 14, 2007, globe and mail); update feb. 24, 2008: see general notes.

 

 

mohammed mahjoub, toronto, canada; married, two children; detained since june 2000; kept in solitary; risk of death if deported to egypt (source: campaign to stop secret trials in canada, may 3, 2003, http://www.homesnotbombs.ca/mahjoubbail.htm); update: as of june 4, 2004 (report from the campaign to stop secret trials in canada -toronto), mahjoub has spent over 4years in prison without charge and without knowing why; this is immoral and unjust punishment for a man convicted of no crime; update: mahjoub's deportation was stopped for the moment by a federal judge believing his life will be in danger if returned to egypt; considered a threat to canada he is being held in canada without trial or release ("judge stays deportation order for terror suspect," cbc 08 sep 2004); there are reports of sexual abuse, death threats, degradation, prejudice and severe psychological abuse of the prisoner by guards during the four years of his incarceration without trial ("terror suspect claims abuse in ontario jail," toronto.cbc.ca , 07 sep 2004; "guards abusive, suspected terrorist says," cbc news online, 07 sep 2004; "mahjoub spared torture in egypt for now," campaign to stop secret trials in canada, 08 sep 2004 ); update, feb. 2, 2005, toronto: a canadian federal court justice on feb. 1, rules against the order to deport mahjoub to egypt and the likelihood of torture; “within canada, torture is seen to be so repugnant that it can never be an appropriate punishment” ~ judge eleanor dawson ("judge stops terror suspect's deportation," globe and mail online, feb 1, 2005); the justice also points out that immigration officials aren't permitted to see all relevant information; the ottawa citizen, reports that csis (canadian cia) finds the prisoner affiliated with the "vanguards of conquest," egyptian extremists absorbed by al-qaeda in 1998; mahjoub has been away from egypt since 1991 ("judge refuses to deport terror suspect," duffy, ottawa citizen, feb. 2, 2005); update, august 28, 2005: mohammed mahjoub continues his hunger strike; he simply wants to see his wife and children ("rally for two hunger striking security certificate detainees thursday september 1 vancouver art gallery," no one is illegal-vancouver posted nowar-paix aug. 28, 2005); update of september 10, 2005: mahjoub enters day 66 of his hunger strike; urgent; update: mahjoub has ended a 79 day hunger strike after receiving a written guarantee from provincial government that he would receive the medical care he has requested ("mohammad mahjoub ends hunger strike, secret trial detainee 'wins' most demands, but at what cost ?" sept. 24, 2005, tasc email; "mahjoub ends hunger strike," canadian press, sept. 24, 2005, globe and mail); update: transferred april 24, 2006, to "guantanamo north," a new canadian facility within the confines of millhaven penitentiary in kingston; canadian security certificates are said to be enforced by the border services agency ("canada opens new prison facility for security suspects," april 24, 2006, cbc news); from urgent june 15, 2006, kingston ontario: three security certificate detainees remain on hunger strike: mohammad mahjoub, mahmoud jaballah (medical difficulties), hassan almrei; the lengths of their hunger strikes are difficult to verify; the current medical condition / safety of the prisoners is not revealed to the canadian people; inadequate information is allowed the press; according to "terror suspect falls ill after hunger strike," brett popplewell, may 25, 2006, canadian press, all three started their hungerstrike may 22nd, and are under the responsibility of the canadian border services agency; see also june 5th entry justice for mohamed harkat [access: http://www.zerra.net/freemohamed/detainee_mahjoub.php]; update, june 22, 2006: on hunger strike again without adequate medical supervision: see urgent; from urgent june 22, 2006, kingston immigration holding centre: a recent mailing from campaign to stop secret trials in canada updates the condition of the three security certificate detainees remaining in prison; on hunger strike are mahmoud jaballah and mohammad mahjoub (since may 23rd) , hassan almrei (since may 13); no doctor has been provided; the newsletter also states "the federal government has ordered that the men not have any access to the media" ("month-long hunger strike continues at kingston, ontario's gitmo north," june 21, 2006, tasc); mohamed harkat, a fourth security certificate detainee held at the kingston facility, was released on bail june 21rst ("harkat informant called 'insane'," ian macleod, june 22, 2006, the ottawa citizen); from urgent june 28, 2006, kingston immigration holding centre: although the press is still barred from access to canada's special prison for security certificate detainees, the three hunger strikers are now eating again after minimal improvements in the conditions of their detention without trial; canada's supreme court continues to consider the validity of the security certificates which hold them (press release, june 28, 2006, hunger-strike support committee, [nowar-paix] victory for hunger-strikers at guantanamo north); from urgent december 16, 2006, kingston ontario: at the holding centre in kingston (kihc) mohammad mahjoub has been on hunger strike for twenty days; hassan almrei for nine days; mahmoud jaballah, nine days; supporters claim that majoub has been denied (since september) medical treatment for hepatitis c and for his high blood pressure; detainees demands include presence of superviser at transfers with guards between buildings; among other demands they are asking for replacement of corrections services personnel with border security personnel ("canada's secret trial detainees on hunger strike at guantanamo bay north, kingston, ontario, denial of medical treatment, lack of personal safety among key issues," Dec. 15, 2006, tasc e-mail); this is the third hunger strike of these three men who are not found guilty of a crime; see the update of sept 24, 2005, "mohammad mahjoub has ended a 79 day hunger strike after receiving a written guarantee from provincial government that he would receive the medical care he has requested;" sept. 3rd 2005 hassan almrei ended his 73 day hunger strike; previous hunger strikes have increased the risk of these actions; urgent update january 9, 2007: this news of the guantanamo north hunger strike relies on "open letter from gitmo north; hunger strike update," jan. 8, 2007, tasc email: mohammad mahjoub has fasted 45 days, mahmoud jaballah 34 days, hassan almrei 34 days; the men are medically at risk through previous hunger strikes, a risk increasing with the length of this hunger strike; additional medical conditions specified: mahjoub is in need of hepatitis medication and treatment for high blood pressure and is in occasionally intense pain; jaballah requires a double hernia operation; there has not been daily medical monitoring of the hunger strikers; there appears to be a refusal of adequate health care; the letter indicates a liquid diet but in general an inadequate response by the kingston immigration holding centre to the health of three men who have not been judged in a canadian court or found guilty of any crime; deprived of a voice the prisoners have asked the people of canada to appeal for justice; gerald and maas asks the government of canada to honour the principle of habeas corpus and extend an understanding of humanity to these three muslim detainees, and to honour canada's charter of rights, and with compassion to free the detainees to the care of their friends and families, while the legality and appropriateness of the imprisonment is settled in canadian courts; urgent update january 24, 2007: the federal government won't negotiate their demands so mohammad mahjoub, hassan almrei, mahmoud jaballah, remain on hunger strike without medical monitoring; over sixty health professionals have signed a letter finding the men "at risk of severe hypotension or hypertension, renal failure, cardiac arrhythmia, heart failure and a variety of life-threatening disorders" ("[psi-news] update: health workers intervene in hungerstrikes at canada's guantanamo north," psi, jan. 23,2007, email list); for more information and whom to contact : justice for mohamed harkat at www.zerra.net/freemohamed or justice for adil charkaoui at www.adilinfo.org , or open letter at http://homesnotbombs.ca/openletter.htm; medical alert; february 3, 2007: see urgent; update of feb. 15th, after 7 years, mohammad mahjoub, more than 80 days into his most recent hunger strike, was ordered released to house arrest; the federal court judge ordered the canadian government to review the case; according to csis the uncharged suspect was a member of egyptian al-jihad; he is to join his wife and children at home ("court orders release of suspected terrorist on hunger strike," the canadian press, feb. 15, 2007, cbc news; "terror suspect to be released," michelle shephard, feb. 15, 2007, toronto star; "egyptian man held since 2000 ordered released," ctv.ca news staff, feb. 15, 2007, ctv.ca news); update of feb. 23, 2007: a supreme court ruling in the cases of three other detainees has found canadian security certificates as currently applied, illegal; update of april 14, 2007: mohamed zeki mahjoub was let out of prison april 12, 2007; released, he is to be kept under stringent conditions of home detention and surveillance which limits the freedom of his family as well ("judge 'frees" senior terrorism suspect," colin freeze, april 14, 2007, globe and mail; "nouvelles sur mahjoub," april 13, 2007 5:15 PM, justice for adil); update, feb. 24, 2008: see general notes.

 

 

 

free all political prisoners
canadian security certificates

general notes

note
february 24, 2008, ottawa: late on february 22nd, the government again filed papers to keep the five men noted above, prisoners of canadian security certificates so they might be deported; in an unusual move, csis (canada's cia) has released some allegations now available on the federal court of canada website, access: < "http://cas-ncr-nter03.cas-satj.gc.ca/fct-cf/index.html" >; in montreal supporters of adil charkaoui are pointing out there is a lack of proof; each of the five is to have a new hearing to review evidence ("terror suspects face new allegations from csis," ctv.ca news staff, feb.23, 2008, ctv.ca;"no proof, charkaoui supporters say," michelle lalonde, feb.24, 2008, the gazette; "canada seeks to deport moroccan-born man," charmaine noronha ~ap writer, feb.23, 2008, newsday.com; "new allegations, same old secret trials: an update following friday's character assassination," campaign to stop secret trials behrens, feb. 24, 2008, tasc listserv). csis unclassified: "summary of the security intelligence report concerning mohamed harkat," feb. 22, 2008, federal court of canada, access: < "http://cas-ncr-nter03.cas-satj.gc.ca/rss/Harkat.pdf" >; "sommaire du rapport de renseignement de sécurité concernant adil charkaoui," le 22 février 2008, federal court of canada, access: < "http://cas-ncr-nter03.cas-satj.gc.ca/rss/Charkaoui.pdf" >; "summary of the security intelligence report concerning hassan almrei," feb. 22, 2008, federal court of canada, access: < "http://cas-ncr-nter03.cas-satj.gc.ca/rss/Almrei.pdf" >;"summary of the security intelligence report concerning mahmoud jaballah," feb. 22, 2008, federal court of canada, access: < "http://cas-ncr-nter03.cas-satj.gc.ca/rss/Jaballah.pdf" >;"intelligence report concerning mohamed zeki mahjoub," feb. 22, 2008, federal court of canada, access: < "http://cas-ncr-nter03.cas-satj.gc.ca/rss/Mahjoub.pdf" >.

historical note:
these five men whose freedoms and rights were taken away by the state have not been found guilty of any crime or charged; they are accused; with responsibilities to families, tribes, religious groups, they are not allowed a public trial to answer what may be false charges yet which continue to have the force of law; while the case for each differs, the csis documents are similar in relying on implications of guilt-by-association, alleging the guilt of supposed associates, taking for granted a fear of islam currently used for propaganda in profit-motivated wars, citing non-evidence which could have been obtained by torture, plea bargains, large sums of money, and reliance on security establishments of partner nations known to be acting outside the rule of law; so it is difficult to have confidence in this area of the security establishment's pursuits since it took a supreme court decision to point out to the government, specifically the canadian security establishment, that it was breaking the law in its treatment of these men; with the parliamentary backing of bill c-3, an increasingly acquiescent media, and canada's neo-conservative romance with u.s. bush administration policies, csis continues a campaign of allegation, hearsay, perception management, and charges-denied-by-accused-who-don't -have-the-right-to-trial , as it becomes more than an attack on five individual muslim refugees, to become an attack on the spirit of the law...

 

note in protest
february 21, 2008, montreal: canadian parliament's recent passage of bill c-3 re-affirming the application of canadian security certificates (with additional provisions), despite the supreme court's refusal to sanction the betrayal of canada's charter of rights and freedoms (d.o.j. canada)   ie. charte canadienne des droits et libertés (m.d.l.j. canada), has successfully deprived the people of fundamental legal protections for human rights; the bill can't be challenged at the supreme court for "18 months" according to adil charkaoui's lawyer, johanne doyon ("court won't hear security certificate case until 2009: lawyer," canwest news service, feb. 21, 2008, ottawacitizen.com ~copr. montreal gazette).

 

note
february 8, 2008, ottawa: the primary step in making bill c-3 law, was passed by the house of commons february 6th; the harper government's legislation provides for continuation of canadian security certificates which as applied were found unlawful by the supreme court (see below); complying with the court's request to re-write the law, a mechanism of special advocate was added, which allows a middle man with security clearance to see otherwise classified evidence affecting the case, though it does not necessarily permit the accused to know evidence against him (ie. "lower house passes anti-terror law," rob gillies, feb. 6, 2008, ap news; "parliament races to pass new anti-terror bill," richard foot canwest, feb. 4, 2008, canada.com); by retaining detention without habeas corpus and secret trials based on what remains largely secret evidence, the government may be contravening the supreme court decision.

 

note   *
february 23, 2007, ottawa: by unanimous decision canada's supreme court has ruled against the government's illegal practice of canadian security certificates; three detainees were able to challenge the government in court; one of these, hassan almrei has been on hunger strike in the kingston area facility, "guantanamo north;" mohamed harkat is on bail in ottawa; adil charkaoui is on bail in montreal; the decision is a victory for canada's charter of rights and the people; it's unsure how the decision will effect those held at kingston; the other two detainees who have also been on hunger strike are mahmoud jaballah and mohammad mahjoub who was recently ordered released to his family; the gazette notes a sixth detainee, manickavasagam suresh, held on a security certificate for ten years while released in toronto; the court decision has given the government a year's grace to hold the prisoners if it needs while it re-writes the law ("top canadian court strikes down anti-terror law," david ljunggren, feb. 23, 2007, reuters canada; "canadian supreme court annuls anti-terror measure," andrew mayeda , canwest, feb. 23, 2007, the gazette, montreal).

 

note
on oct. 19th 2005, the federal government gave word that security certificate detainees will be moved to federal facilities within a month, month and a half; in the courts two are seeking bail and two are seeking release ("federal transfer of secret trial detainees a dangerous sham which deflects attention from issue of release from arbitrary detention," oct. 20, 2005, tasc email of oct. 20, 2005, 12:08pm); update: this report is unsubstantiated and there seems to be no change of location of the detainees as of jan 18, 2006; update of march 15, 2006: possibly new facilities being constructed at millhaven in kingston are intended for detainees ("building terror jail riles activists," staff, march 12, 2006, ottawa sun).

 

note
on dec 10, 2004, a canadian federal appeals court decided security certificates are constitutional ("indefinite jailing of 6 in canada tests legal system," washington post / washingtonpost.com, dec. 19, 2004); discarding centuries of the people's slow progress for human rights under law, this ruling places these men who are convicted of no crime, in prison, indefinitely, without knowing what they are accused of or by whom; citing society's need for protection against terrorists, the ruling raises questions of the freedom of canada's judiciary; ruling on a similar challenge to britain's anti-terrorist laws, on dec. 16, 2004, the house of lords as the highest u.k. court, found that detainees can't be held indefinitely without trial ("terror detainees win lords appeal," bbc online, dec.16, 2004).

 

the information on these pages is incomplete - please contact gandm@nightslantern.ca to suggest corrections or additions

free all political prisoners

 


gerald and maas night's lantern
with appreciation to all sources, ed. and commentary by j.b.gerald, images j.maas
january 1, 2004 through february 25, 2008