Documentary directed by Amar Wala and edited by Andrea Conte
The documentary, “Rubber Stamped: The Hassan Diab Story”, shows the impact of Hassan’s ordeal on his family. Hassan’s supporters and his Canadian lawyer, Don Bayne, talk about the miscarriage of justice and the risk of wrongful conviction.
The Canadian extradition judge described the evidence against Hassan Diab as “illogical”, “very problematic”, and “convoluted”. However, the judge stated that the low threshold for evidence under Canada’s extradition law left him no choice but to commit Dr. Diab to extradition.
Since his detention in France, Hassan was ordered released on bail several times by French investigative judges who found that there is “consistent evidence” that Hassan was in Lebanon during the 1980 Paris bombing. However, all release orders have been overturned by the Court of Appeal at the behest of the prosecutor.
William Bourdon, Dr. Diab’s lawyer in France, noted that it is unprecedented in France to have multiple release orders by the investigative judges overturned. He noted that “after 36 years and since no one else was indicted, the Court of Appeal is clinging on to Hassan Diab. He is detained because of the [Appeal] judges’ fear to be accused of laxity in the context of today’s fight against terrorism in France. Such a situation would be inconceivable in an ordinary-law procedure.”
Donald Bayne, Dr. Diab’s Canadian lawyer, noted that “Dr. Diab’s continued incarceration is wholly and manifestly unjust. It is past time for this government to come to the aid of a Canadian citizen, to end this travesty of justice, to bring him home. ‘Prime Minister Trudeau, Minister Freeland, where are you when an innocent Canadian needs you?’ ”
For more information:
Hassan Diab Support Committee
diabsupport@gmail.com
http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org