On Friday October 26, the French Court of Appeal prolonged the decade-long ordeal of Dr. Hassan Diab and his family. Instead of upholding the decision of the French investigating judges who found powerful evidence of Hassan’s innocence and dismissed all allegations against him, the Court of Appeal ordered a review of handwriting analysis that was used to extradite Hassan in 2014. This is the same handwriting analysis that was described as “totally flawed” by four internationally-renowned handwriting experts, and described as “very problematic”, “convoluted”, “illogical”, and “suspect” by the Canadian extradition judge.

Hassan’s lawyers in France remarked that after 38 years and “since no one was indicted, the Court of Appeal is clinging on to Hassan Diab… because of the judges’ fear to be accused of laxity in the context of today’s fight against terrorism in France.

Don Bayne, Hassan’s lawyer in Canada, said, “There are pressures in France, obviously some of them political, to keep this case going to satisfy some of the public outrage that has been generated.”

Hassan Diab, as well as numerous human rights and civil society groups, are renewing their calls on the Canadian government to conduct an independent public inquiry into Hassan’s extradition and review Canada’s Extradition Act, so no other Canadian would go through what Hassan and his family had to endure.

Articles:

• French court delays appeal decision in Hassan Diab case, orders new handwriting analysis, Globe and Mail, October 26, 2018
• Diab’s appeal unexpectedly delayed for new handwriting analysis, Ottawa Citizen, October 26, 2018
• Renewed calls for public inquiry as France pushes appeal decision in Hassan Diab case to next year, CBC News, October 26, 1018