eBulletin – April 7, 2014

“Stop Unjust Extradition Proceedings”

In this issue:

  1. Social Evening and Fundraiser for Hassan Diab, April 11
  2. Update on Hassan Diab’s Case and Callout for Support
  3. Hundred for Hassan Campaign Update
  4. How You Can Help


1. Social Evening and Fundraiser for Hassan Diab, April 11

Waiting for the response from the Court of Appeal for Ontario regarding Hassan Diab’s extradition order is difficult for Hassan and his family. They need our support to keep up their spirits!

Therefore, the Hassan Diab Support Committee is organizing a social evening and fundraiser for them and invites you all to be part of it.

  • Date: Friday April 11, 2014
  • Time: 6:00 PM
  • Place: First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa, 30 Cleary Avenue, Ottawa (off Richmond Road, one traffic light East of Woodroffe Avenue)
  • Transportation: Bus # 2 stops at Cleary Avenue; Bus # 87 stops at Woodroffe Avenue and Richmond Road. Ample parking is available.

Hassan will prepare a FREE delicious dinner, including vegetarian options, desserts, and refreshments.

Beautiful live music and songs by Arif Jinha and Gilbert Troutet.

Speakers will include Matthew Behrens and Peter Gose, members of the Hassan Diab Support Committee.

There will be a silent auction and prizes.

Why a Fundraiser:
Hassan’s appeal has been expensive and the lawyers’ fees are mounting. In addition, Hassan has to pay about $2,000 per month for the GPS monitoring device he is required to wear, in order to be able to stay out of prison.

Hassan has shown enormous courage and grace in the face of unjust extradition proceedings. Please join us in supporting him on April 11!

Contact:
Hassan Diab Support Committee
diabsupport@gmail.com
http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org

“My life has been turned upside down because of unfounded allegations and suspicions. I am innocent of the accusations against me. I have never engaged in terrorism. I am not an anti-Semite. I have always been opposed to bigotry and violence.”
Dr. Hassan Diab, Ottawa, Canada



2. Update on Hassan Diab’s Case and Callout for Support

Dear Friends and Supporters,

As you know, Dr. Hassan Diab and his family are waiting for a decision from the Court of Appeal for Ontario regarding his request to have his extradition overturned. The Court heard Hassan’s appeal in November of last year. A decision from the Court of Appeal may come at any time. We know you share our hope for a positive outcome.

Regardless of the outcome, we are planning a post-decision press conference and rally in Ottawa. We urge supporters, especially those in the Ottawa area, to come out to show your support. Please stay tuned for further updates. We will share more information as soon as we know when the decision is coming.

Hassan and his family are extremely grateful for your continued support in our struggle against an unfair extradition law and legal proceedings based on totally flawed “evidence”. It is a shame and injustice that a Canadian may be forcibly sent to another country and deprived of his liberty based on evidence that would not be admissible in Canadian court.

Five internationally-recognized handwriting experts testified that the French handwriting analysis report used against Hassan is wholly unreliable and does not follow recognized methodology. The Canadian extradition judge described the report as “very problematic”, “convoluted”, “very confusing”, and “with conclusions that are suspect”. However, the judge held that, since this is an extradition hearing, he cannot apply Canadian standards of evidence to exclude this report.

Hassan has steadfastly declared his innocence. His fingerprints and palm prints do not match those of the presumed bomber. He has repeatedly affirmed that he is willing to answer questions from French authorities here in Canada and take a lie detector test, but there has been no response to either offer.

Hassan’s case should be a wake up call for all of us, because under Canada’s extradition law any of us could be in Dr. Hassan Diab’s shoes right now!

It is essential that we show our support again when the Court of Appeal decision comes out. Let’s reaffirm our opposition to unjust extradition proceedings and our support for fundamental rights and freedoms.

For More Information:



3. Hundred for Hassan Campaign Update

Dr. Hassan Diab is not charged with any crime, yet since 2009 he has been forced to pay $2,000 per month for the cost of his own surveillance – a GPS device he is required to wear at all times – or be imprisoned.

We are pleased to announce the recent addition of the 112th signatory to the Hundred for Hassan Campaign statement. The five-year legal battle and monthly GPS monitoring have drained the financial resources of Hassan and his family. He urgently needs donations to succeed in his struggle for justice — a struggle we all have a stake in! The Hassan Diab Support Committee continues to look for new signatories to the Hundred for Hassan campaign statement.

We invite you to show your support for Hassan by signing a statement and pledging a monthly contribution of $20 or more to help cover the cost of his GPS monitoring. This is our way of taking a public stand and saying it is just wrong to make Hassan pay for his own surveillance.

To make a contribution to the Hundred for Hassan campaign, please visit:
http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org/donate

To view the Hundred for Hassan Campaign statement, please visit:
http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org/hundred-for-hassan-statement

Hundred for Hassan Photo Wall:
http://www.hundredforhassan.ca
(Click each photo to enlarge and see a statement from the supporter.)



4. How You Can Help

WRITE letters to newspapers voicing your concern about the injustices in Hassan’s case.
(Please share any letters you send with diabsupport@gmail.com)

CONTACT your Canadian Member of Parliament (MP) about Hassan’s plight and urge him/her to reform Canada’s unfair extradition law. (Please share any letters you send with diabsupport@gmail.com). The following page helps you find your MP using your postal code.

https://lop.parl.ca/ParlInfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC

DONATE to Hassan’s defence to help defray the cost of the GPS monitoring device he is required to wear and the legal fees he is saddled with. For information on how to donate, please visit http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org/donate


Hassan Diab Support Committee
Email: diabsupport@gmail.com
Web: http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/justiceforhassandiab
Twitter: http://twitter.com/justiceforhdiab
Blog: http://friendsofhassandiab.blogspot.com


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