Watch videos from our November 14, 2025, event in Ottawa, “Seeking Justice for Hassan Diab – Almost 20 Years of Violated Human Rights”. The large turnout and engaged Q&A at the event demonstrated broad support for justice, fairness, and human rights in general, and for Hassan Diab in particular.

Donald Bayne, Hassan’s lawyer since early 2009, provided an overview of Hassan’s long struggle for justice that highlighted the many, atrocious legal missteps in the case, and Mr. Bayne’s own dismay at seeing an innocent person being subjected to such an ordeal.

Human rights advocate and 2025 Massey Lecturer, Professor Alex Neve, offered powerful reflections on the human-rights implications of the Diab case.

Watch “Hassan Diab: A Case of Relentless Persecution”, an interview with Mr. Bayne, where he presents a summary of the many legal missteps leading to Dr. Diab’s extradition to France in 2014 and the sham trial held in France in 2023. This interview was pre-recorded and shown at the event.

Watch “Defending the Wrongfully Accused”, which presents Mr. Bayne’s commentary and Q&A at the event.

Watch event keynote address by human rights advocate, Professor Alex Neve, where he offered powerful reflections on the human-rights implications of the Diab case, and Mr. Neve’s perspectives on the ongoing struggle for recognition of universal human rights.

On Friday, November 14, 2025, the Hassan Diab Support Committee held the public event, “Seeking Justice for Hassan Diab – Almost 20 Years of Violated Human Rights”, at Woodside Hall, Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, in Ottawa. The event was a tremendous success with the room filled to capacity.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who came out, participated, and stood in solidarity — whether you joined as a speaker, asked a question during the Q&A, came to listen and support, or simply helped spread the word. Your presence and engagement strengthened our solidarity and underscored the urgency of our cause.

We are especially grateful to our excellent speakers: Professor Alex Neve, whose keynote offered powerful reflections on the human-rights implications of the Diab case, and Mr. Donald Bayne, who provided a deeply informed legal overview of Hassan’s long struggle for justice. Their insights, and the thoughtful Q&A that followed, made the evening memorable and impactful.

The large turnout and engaged Q&A at the event demonstrated the broad support for justice, fairness, and human rights in general, and for Hassan Diab in particular.

Though the event itself has concluded, our work continues. Here are some of the actions we are pursuing:

• Continuing our postcard campaign urging the Canadian government to refuse any future extradition request for Hassan Diab and to reform Canada’s Extradition Act. Postcards are available at Octopus Books in Ottawa, or you can write to diabsupport@gmail.com to request that postcards be mailed to you.
• Sending a letter to the Minister of Justice, Mr. Sean Fraser, urging him to refuse any future extradition request and put an end—once and for all—to this ongoing miscarriage of justice.
• Sustaining public awareness about Hassan’s case to prevent further miscarriages of justice.

We encourage you to stay connected. Please sign postcards, send letters, and invite others to join.

Thank you for your courage, your solidarity, and your commitment!

The Hassan Diab Support Committee

You’re invited to a powerful and timely event at the Dominion-Chalmers Centre in Ottawa. Join Professor Alex Neve, the distinguished human rights advocate, as he shares insights into the human rights implications of the Hassan Diab case. The event will also feature Mr. Donald Bayne, Hassan’s lawyer, who will provide a compelling overview of Hassan’s long struggle for justice.

Event: Seeking Justice for Hassan Diab – Almost 20 Years of Violated Human Rights
Where: Woodside Hall, Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, 290 Lisgar Street, Ottawa – [Map]
Date: Friday, November 14, 2025
Time: Doors open at 5:30 pm | Event starts at 6:00 pm

Highlights:

• Keynote: Alex Neve, 2025 Massey Lecturer and former Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada
• Presentation: Donald Bayne, Lawyer for Hassan Diab
• Q&A: Ask questions and engage with the speakers
• Meet Hassan Diab

The event is free and open to the public – Everyone welcome!
Light refreshments will be served.

See: Poster for the Event

2025 Massey Lectures

The Massey Lectures are an annual five-part series of lectures given in Canada by distinguished writers, thinkers, and scholars who explore important ideas and issues of contemporary interest.

In the 2025 Massey Lectures (September – October), Alex Neve, human rights lawyer and former secretary general of Amnesty International Canada, explores what it takes to make human rights truly universal. The core promise of human rights is that these rights extend to everyone, everywhere, at all times, without exception. However, too often human rights are applied selectively, withdrawn on the whims of political leaders, or ignored altogether. Professor Neve investigates what we can do to fulfill the promise that human rights are inherent, inalienable, and applicable to all people.

For more information:

• Book: Universal, by Alex Neve
• This isn’t human rights’ finest hour, Massey Lecturer Alex Neve says — but it could be
• Q&A with Alex Neve about Hassan Diab’s case

Action: Send a Postcard to Prime Minister Mark Carney

We have a new postcard! Please take part in our postcard campaign and urge Prime Minister Mark Carney to take immediate action for justice and human rights in Hassan’s case.

Postcards are available at Octopus Books, 116 Third Avenue, Ottawa. Please drop by Octopus Books to sign a postcard, and get extra postcards to distribute to others.

You can also request postcards by emailing diabsupport@gmail.com. Please include your mailing address and the number of postcards you’d like. (No postage is required when mailing within Canada.)

Take a photo of yourself signing the postcard and send it with a short message to diabsupport@gmail.com. With your permission, we’ll share your photo and message on social media.

Download the postcard (PDF)

Thank you for your continued support!

With a new Federal government now in place, we are at a critical juncture. It’s time to renew our collective call for justice: Urge the Canadian government to reject any new extradition request for Dr. Hassan Diab, and reform Canada’s inadequate and unfair Extradition Act.

In 2014, Hassan Diab was extradited from Canada to France based on deeply flawed and fabricated evidence. However, a thorough investigation by two of France’s most respected investigative judges, Jean-Marc Herbaut and Richard Foltzer, found no grounds to justify putting him on trial for the bombing of a Paris synagogue 1980. In fact, key ‘evidence’, including fingerprint analysis, handwriting comparisons, and a solid alibi, clearly excluded Hassan as the suspect.

In January 2018, after spending 38 months in a French prison, the investigating judges ordered Hassan’s immediate release, and he returned to his home and family in Canada.

Shockingly, in April 2023, a trial held in absentia at the Paris Special Assize Court disregarded the findings of the investigative judges and declared Hassan Diab guilty. The proceedings were marred by serious irregularities, including the use of undisclosed ‘intelligence’, suppression of exculpatory evidence, defamatory claims, and perjured testimony. The outcome was not justice—it was a profound miscarriage of justice.

Reform Canada’s Extradition Act Now

On June 7, 2023, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights (JUST) released a report titled “Reforming Canada’s Extradition System”. The report cited Hassan Diab’s case as a striking example of the dangers and injustices enabled by Canada’s current extradition law, and outlined 20 key recommendations for reform.

Read the full JUST report:
https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Committee/441/JUST/Reports/RP12497997/justrp13/justrp13-e.pdf

We urge the Canadian government to act now: Implement the 20 recommendations of the JUST report, and protect Canadians from wrongful extradition.

Action: Send a Postcard to Prime Minister Mark Carney

Please take part in our postcard campaign and urge the Prime Minister to act now for justice and extradition reform.

Postcards are available at Octopus Books, 116 Third Avenue, Ottawa. Please drop by Octopus Books to sign a postcard, and get extra postcards to share with others.

You can also order postcards by sending an email to diabsupport@gmail.com. Please provide your postal mailing address and the number of postcards you’d like to receive, and we will gladly mail postcards to you.

(No postage is required when mailing the postcard within Canada.)

“Hassan Diab’s nightmare and the ‘fascist agenda’” — Essay by Roger Clark

The essay highlights how Diab’s case is part of a dangerous trend where labeling, scapegoating, and denial of rights serve to erode democratic principles. The essay emphasizes the importance of upholding justice and human rights.

https://www.justiceforhassandiab.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hassan-Diab-and-Fascist-Agenda.pdf

Please share posts about the essay on your social media:   Facebook,   X,   Bluesky

“What Can the Diab Affair Tell us About Far-Right Politics?” — Article by Michelle Weinroth

The article shows how the Diab case exemplifies key tactics of far-right politics: scapegoating marginalized individuals, suppressing inconvenient truths, and manipulating public opinion through misinformation. The Canadian government’s prolonged silence and inaction regarding Dr. Diab’s case, has allowed right-wing elements to exploit the situation for political gain.

https://socialistproject.ca/2025/04/what-can-diab-affair-tell-us-far-right-politics

Please share posts about the article on your social media:   Facebook,   X,   Bluesky

“The Copernic Affair” – A Canadaland Podcast Series

“The Copernic Affair”, is a six-part investigation into the Diab case, featuring interviews with Hassan Diab and others involved in the case.

Article and interviews with the podcast hosts, Dana Ballout and Alex Atack:

• CJN Interview with Ballout and Atack, March 3, 2025
• “After a Musk post, Canada professor convicted in absentia plunges back in public eye”, The Guardian, March 11, 2025
• CBC Crime Story – Episode 77, March 24, 2025 | Transcript
• Al Jazeera’s The Take Interview, March 31, 2025

Thank you for standing with Hassan Diab and speaking out for justice and human rights!