rabble.ca 24/05/2016 - In a major setback to a Liberal government still refusing to repeal the repressive Bill C-51, the Federal Court has found unreasonable the secret trial security certificate against the long-suffering Mahmoud Jaballah, almost 20 years to the day that the Egyptian refugee and his family arrived in Canada seeking asylum from the Mubarak dictatorship. While the written decision for this finding has yet to be released, this hopefully brings to a close an 18-year legal fight that helped spur an international campaign of condemnation against Canada's use of secret trials, indefinite detention, deportation to torture, and the patently illegal practices conducted by Canada's spy agency, CSIS. Jaballah, who was jailed without charge and tortured on many occasions in Egypt (as was his wife, Husnah, who was twice detained and tortured in front of him), was originally arrested in 1999 under the much-criticized security certificate, alleging he was a threat to national security. The problem he faced? He was not allowed to see the secret case against him in a process that allowed as evidence anything not normally admissible in a court of law. CSIS had originally approached him to spy on his community, and he refused. The response of CSIS was clear: co-operate or you will be jailed and deported to torture.

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Ottawa Citizen 24/05/2016 - Homes not Bombs, which calls itself a "nonviolent direct action group", held two demonstrations in opposition to Canada's largest annual military trade show, CANSEC16 on Tuesday, May 24. It held what it is calling a "War Criminals Welcoming Walk" Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. That gathering started in the Byward Market at York and Sussex, across from the U.S. embassy, at 5 p.m., and ended up at the Prime Minister's Office at Wellington and Elgin. Along the way the protesters visited hotels where CANSEC exhibitors are staying. On Wednesday from 7:30 am to 1 p.m., protesters will gather at the entrance to the EY Centre where CANSEC is being held. Among the issues, the group is protesting arms deals with repressive regimes such as Saudi Arabia. It is highlighting, in particular, the multi-billion dollar deal involving General Dynamics Land Systems Canada and the supply of LAVs to Saudi Arabia.

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Despite Dion's rhetoric, Sweden says it hasn't suffered from cancelling Saudi arms deal

Stéphane Dion urged to use Saudi arms deal to free Raif Badawi

rabble.ca 20/05/2016 - What's really disturbing is that this supposed trial didn't happen in France and even worse, it seems the investigation is still going on. What sort of justice is it to have an investigation lasting over 30 years? And assuming that this is genuinely needed, why has Canada handed over one of its citizens knowing that an investigation is still going on? Would it have been more reasonable and respectful of due process to wait until the investigation is over? Based on this confusing situation, I can see three explanations: 1. Either the French case is shaky and they have been misleading their Canadian counterparts the whole way, making them believe that they have a strong case and trying to find a sacrificial lamb in the person of Hassan Diab, regardless of his innocence. 2. Or, the Canadians have been negligent and accepting everything that the French were telling them, not resisting the extradition call of one of their own citizens, in an overzealous attempt to show that Canada is committed to the "war on terror." 3. Or this may be another political witch-hunt against an Arab-Muslim citizen in the post-9/11 context, similar to other tragic cases where victims were arrested merely because of their race, religion, political views or associations, and where the justice system becomes a tool of conviction rather than discernment between guilt and innocence.

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La justice ordonne le retour en prison d'Hassan Diab, suspect de l'attentat de la rue Copernic

The Toronto Star 22/05/2016 - It's happened again. A 24-year-old man died in a provincial jail last Saturday in Edmonton while in the custody of the Canada Border Services Agency. He was the 15th person to die in CBSA custody since 2000 and the third to die just this year. But like those before him, it will be difficult to find out how or why this man died. As usual when a migrant dies in custody, the agency refused to reveal his identity and nationality or say whether his next of kin had been notified. In fact, it sometimes doesn't even announce that a person has died in custody until the news gets out from other sources and it is forced to confirm it. Yes, migrants can die in custody in Canada and their death, never mind the how or why, isn't publicly reported. For all intents and purposes, they are disappeared. That is shocking in a democracy.

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Idomeni : plus de 8 000 migrants évacués par les autorités grecques

The Border - Idomeni (video)

Windsor Star 19/05/2016 - The United Arab Emirates arbitrarily detained my father, and now they're neglecting his health. My father disappeared off the streets of Dubai two years ago and was locked up in the UAE's notorious secret prison system by state security agents. My father's name is Salim Alaradi, and he is a 45-year-old Canadian-Libyan citizen, a family man and determined businessman who has a record of international humanitarian philanthropy. For over a year now, Canadian and international media have followed the developments of my father's case. On May 30, a court's final verdict will be given with no right to appeal. His jailers have failed to treat him with basic dignity, and, whatever direction the legal process takes, it will be a long time before my father recovers from the dehumanizing conditions under which he's been kept. [...] I ask that the Canadian government and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau help my father. He needs to be transferred to a hospital with Canadian standards of medical care as he awaits the May 30 decision. It's time for the UAE to show mercy and justice and bring an end to the suffering my father has endured for far too long.

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Minister Dion Attends GCC Meeting with UAE Counterpart

Liberals Consider New Approach For Canadians In Trouble Abroad