Thank You for Donating to Hassan Diab’s Legal Defence in France

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Dear Friends and Supporters,

A BIG Thank You for your very generous donations to Hassan Diab’s legal defence in France! To date, we have raised CAD $28,770.00, or about 96 percent of what we need to cover the latest bill of CAD $30,000.00.

We are very grateful to be part of such a caring and justice-minded community. Without you, an innocent man would still be languishing in jail in France.

All the money raised goes to cover legal fees that Hassan is incurring in France because of the French prosecutor’s appeal of Hassan’s release.

In January 2018, French investigating judges cleared Hassan unconditionally of all accusations, allowing him to return to his home in Canada. However, the prosecutor’s appeal continues to prolong his ordeal, burdening his family with additional legal fees.

If you wish to donate to Hassan Diab’s legal defence in France, please visit:
http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org/donate.

Thank you again. We are deeply grateful for your support!

Sincerely,

Hassan Diab Support Committee
diabsupport@gmail.com

Please Donate to Hassan Diab’s
Legal Defence in France

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Dear Friends and Supporters,

As 2018 draws to a close, we recall a year that began with French investigating judges clearing Dr. Hassan Diab unconditionally of all accusations and allowing him to return to his home and family in Canada.

The French Court of Appeal, however, has delayed its decision on whether to uphold the investigating judges finding of innocence. The delay by the Court of Appeal prolongs Hassan ordeal, while burdening him and his family with additional legal fees.

We must raise CAD $30,000 by the end of 2018 to cover the latest bill for Hassan’s legal defence in France.

We are more than halfway to our goal, as we have received CAD $17,260 CAD in donations so far.

Please help us raise the remaining balance (CAD $12,740) by the end of this year. A donation of any amount will go a long way in bringing closure to Hassan’s wrongful extradition!

To donate, please visit: http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org/donate:

A BIG Thank You to all who donated already. We are deeply grateful for your support!

Hassan Diab’s Saga Continues, as French Court of Appeal Delays Decision

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Statements of Hassan Diab and Don Bayne at Press Conference, Ottawa, October 26, 2018

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 of Appeal Decision Expected on October 26, 2018

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Photo Credit: CBC News, May 2018

On Friday October 26, 2018, the French court of appeal will rule to uphold or overturn a decision by two French investigating judges in January of this year to dismiss the case against Dr. Hassan Diab, allowing him to return to his home in Canada.

The investigating judges have found that there is consistent evidence that Hassan was in Lebanon at the time of the 1980 bombing that tragically killed four people and injured dozens. They also notably underlined the numerous contradictions and misstatements contained in the anonymous intelligence, and cast serious doubts about its reliability. The investigating judges also stressed that all fingerprint and palm print analysis excluded Hassan. However, despite conceding that there is credible evidence excluding Hassan, the French prosecutor appealed the dismissal decision and asked the Court of Appeal to put Diab on trial.

On the day of the decision (October 26), at 11:00 am Eastern, the Hassan Diab Support Committee will hold a press conference to comment on the decision and respond to questions from the media. Don Bayne (Diab’s Canadian lawyer), Alex Neve (Secretary General of Amnesty International, Canada), and Hassan Diab will speak at the press conference.

What: Press conference on the French Court of Appeal decision in Hassan Diab’s case
Where: Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Ontario
When: Friday October 26, 2018, 11:00 am Eastern Time

Live-Stream:
You can watch the press conference live via a live-steam provided by the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group (ICLMG). To watch the live-stream, go to the ICLMG Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/iclmg.csilc
The live-stream will be the top post on the page. Alternatively, you may access the live-stream by clicking on the “videos” link on the left side of the page.

Thank You for Signing Parliamentary Petition Calling for Public Inquiry

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Many thanks to everyone who signed our petition calling on the Government of Canada to conduct a thorough and independent public inquiry into Dr. Hassan Diab’s extradition case! The petition will be presented in Parliament soon after the House returns from summer break.

https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-1674

Let’s reform Canada’s Extradition Act to make sure that no other Canadian would go through the unjust extradition process that Hassan and his family have endured!

Recent Articles:

Please Sign Parliamentary Petition and Help Reform Canada’s Extradition Act

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Please sign our petition calling on the Government of Canada to conduct a thorough and independent public inquiry into Dr. Hassan Diab’s extradition case.

https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-1674
The petition closes on September 13, 2018, at 2:41 pm (EDT).

We would greatly appreciate if you would sign the petition and encourage people you know to sign before the deadline. Please help us make sure that no other Canadian would go through the unjust extradition process that Hassan and his family have endured.

Many thanks to everyone who already signed!

If you are not sure whether you already signed this petition, please take a minute and try signing it again. The petition will inform you if you’ve already signed.

Read related letters and articles:

There should be a fully independent public inquiry to prevent any repeat of the injustice done to Hassan Diab

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Photo Credit: CBC News, May 2018

Opinion piece in the Globe and Mail by Joe Clark, former Progressive Conservative Prime Minister of Canada; Monique Bégin, former Liberal Minister of Health; and Ed Broadbent, former leader of the New Democratic Party.

“Dr. Hassan Diab, a Canadian citizen, was extradited to France in 2014. He was then held without charge in solitary confinement for more than three years… [O]n January 12 of this year, the two French investigative judges responsible for his case issued their decision confirming that there was insufficient evidence for laying charges. Most important, the same two judges had found solid evidence that Dr. Diab was studying in Beirut at the time of the 1980 Paris bomb attack. Dr. Diab was immediately released from prison and was able to return to Canada and his family a few days later…

On May 30, the Minister [of Justice in Canada] announced ‘an external independent review.’ By its nature, a review looks backward. Clearly that is necessary to know what happened in the Diab case. But it is equally essential to look forward and identify what changes are needed in the practices of the Department of Justice or other agencies, to ensure adequate legal protection of Canadians who may find themselves in a similar situation in the future. Canadians facing extradition deserve the full protection afforded by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. That would be best achieved by a fully independent public inquiry, able to ensure full transparency and accountability, and provide objective and considered recommendations for reform.

Dr. Diab’s torment should never have happened. Nor should it be repeated.”

Read the full opinion piece:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-there-should-be-a-fully-independent-public-inquiry-to-prevent-any

Please Sign Petition and Help Reform Canada’s Extradition Act

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Help us reform Canada’s Extradition Act so no other Canadian would go through what Hassan and his family have endured. Please sign our Parliamentary petition calling on the Government of Canada to conduct a thorough and independent public inquiry into Hassan’s extradition case.

https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-1674



Video: Press Conference in Ottawa, on May 30, 2018, Calling for a Public Inquiry

Petition Text
Whereas:

  • Canadian citizen Dr. Hassan Diab was wrongfully extradited from Canada based on unreliable and false evidence;
  • Hassan was extradited solely for the purpose of continuing an incomplete foreign investigation; not for trial as required;
  • Hassan spent almost ten years under draconian bail conditions in Canada or imprisoned, including over three years in solitary confinement in France;
  • French investigative judges repeatedly stated that there is “consistent evidence” of Hassan’s innocence. In January 2018, the judges dismissed all allegations against Hassan, allowing him to return to his home in Canada;
  • Hassan has never been charged;
  • Hassan’s ten-year ordeal was the direct consequence of actions of senior officials of the Canadian Department of Justice;
  • When the case was falling apart, Department of Justice officials intervened to direct French authorities on how to patch up the case to ensure Hassan’s extradition;
  • Department of Justice officials repeatedly delayed the extradition hearing and told the Canadian court that they had no knowledge of French authorities’ plans despite having directed those plans; and
  • Department of Justice officials requested fingerprint analysis as the results could be very powerful if not conclusive to get Hassan extradited; yet when the RCMP analysis results excluded Hassan, Department of Justice officials deliberately withheld this evidence from the court and the defence.

We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to appoint an independent commissioner to conduct a thorough public inquiry into Hassan Diab’s case, ensuring that the person appointed has full access to, and powers to compel disclosure of, any and all relevant information.

To sign the petition, please visit: https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Sign/e-1674
(The petition can be signed by Canadian residents and Canadian citizens anywhere in the world.)

Deeply Honoured to Receive the
2018 Reg Rob Award from the
BC Civil Liberties Association!

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We are deeply honoured and delighted that Hassan Diab, Rania Tfaily, and Don Bayne will receive the 2018 Reg Robson award from the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) on behalf of the Hassan Diab Support Committee.

The Reg Robson award is given annually to honour substantial contributions to the cause of civil liberties in British Columbia and Canada. This is the BCCLA’s longest standing and most prestigious award.

The Hassan Diab Support Committee, led by Hassan’s wife Rania and counselled by Don Bayne for ten years (on a pro bono basis), played an instrumental role in the release of Hassan from a French jail in 2018 and his return to his home and family in Canada. Mr. Bayne’s and the committee’s successful efforts to free Hassan from his unjust imprisonment are an inspiration, and their ongoing challenge to the unfairness of Canada’s Extradition Act has a profound impact on Canadian public life. They exemplify what it means to be human rights champions.

For more information, visit:
https://bccla.org/upcoming-events/2018-liberty-awards-gala/meet-our-2018-liberty-award-winners

—–
Hassan Diab Support Committee
diabsupport@gmail.com

Join Us in Calling for a Public Inquiry and Reforming Canada’s Extradition Law

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Photo Credit: CBC News, May 2018

Recent CBC coverage of Dr. Hassan Diab’s ordeal highlights the role the Canadian Department of Justice played in facilitating Hassan’s extradition to France. When the case against Hassan was falling apart, after the defense discredited the French handwriting analysis, Senior Department of Justice lawyers urged French authorities to produce “new” handwriting analysis. Justice Department lawyers also suppressed fingerprint evidence showing Hassan’s innocence.

We urge you to join us in calling for an independent public inquiry into Hassan’s case and reforming Canada’s extradition law so that no other Canadian is subjected to such a flawed and unfair process. We do not have faith in an internal review by the Department of Justice which, in the first place, was responsible for Hassan’s ordeal.

Amnesty International Canada and the BC Civil Liberties Association sent an open letter to the Canadian Ministers of Justice and Foreign Affairs calling on them to launch a thorough public inquiry into Hassan’s case. Also, the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) called for an independent public inquiry into Hassan’s treatment. MP Murray Rankin, Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, raised Hassan’s case in Parliament and called for an independent public inquiry.

We ask you to add your voice by writing to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, calling upon him to launch a thorough, independent public inquiry into Hassan’s case. Please copy the Ministers of Justice and Foreign Affairs and your member of Parliament on your letter, and share your correspondence with diabsupport@gmail.com.

A sample letter is available:

Also, please post on social media and write articles and op-eds calling for a public inquiry.

For More Information:

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