One year ago, on 21 April 2023, the Special Court of Assize in Paris unjustly declared Canadian citizen Hassan Diab guilty, based on unfounded allegations and flawed intelligence that is not allowed in a Canadian court. He was sentenced in absentia to life in prison for a crime he did not commit: the 1980 bombing outside a Paris synagogue.
Driven by political pressure to scapegoat an innocent man, the Special Court of Assize trial ignored exonerating evidence and the alibi firmly establishing Dr. Diab’s presence in Beirut, Lebanon, at the time of the tragic 1980 attack. The prosecutors were allowed to vilify the accused, filibuster, and steal the defense’s speaking time. The court had no transcripts or other recording of the event.
In a mind-boggling irony, the Court of Assize in 2023 relied on the intelligence that France had withdrawn from the Canadian extradition hearing in 2011 to declare him guilty, AND discarded the handwriting analysis that was used to commit him to extradition in 2014 due to its unreliability.
In short, the intelligence which was withdrawn from the extradition proceedings more than a decade ago became France’s basis for sentencing Hassan Diab to life in prison in 2023. Meanwhile, the handwriting analysis that was used to extradite him was discarded by the Special Court of Assize. In essence, France and Canada cancelled each other’s grounds for inculpating Hassan Diab.
Dr. Hassan Diab continues to be subjected to a prolonged and unjust ordeal created by Canada and France. The French court’s declaration of guilt one year ago prolongs the suffering of Hassan and his family. The Canadian government must say NO to a second extradition request from France (whether already submitted or to be submitted).
Read the full media notice.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Featured Video: Roger Clark invites you to sign our new petition:
https://youtu.be/BwgMiooWe9Q
Petition in English:
https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Sign/e-4901
Pétition en français:
https://www.noscommunes.ca/petitions/fr/Petition/Sign/e-4901
The petition will close for signatures on June 10, 2024, at 1:10 pm (EDT).
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