OTTAWA (27 July 2019) – The BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) reacted this morning to the release of the report into the extradition of Dr. Hassan Diab. Along with Amnesty International Canada and the Justice for Hassan Diab coalition, BCCLA has advocated in court and to the government for the just treatment of Dr. Diab, and for Extradition Act reform, for over eight years. Josh Paterson, Executive Director of the BCCLA, stated:
“If Canada’s horrendous treatment of Dr. Hassan Diab was legal, then Canada’s extradition law is severely broken and must be changed. This report makes clear that our extradition laws are deeply unfair.
Dr. Diab was shipped off for lengthy imprisonment in a foreign country on a flimsy case, without even having the right to see and to respond to the evidence against him. Canada’s laws must be changed to prevent anything like this from happening again in the future.
The report makes suggestions as to how federal lawyers might conduct their cases better in order to protect Canadians’ rights – with respect, that’s not good enough. The law must be changed to guarantee fairness for Canadians whose freedom and lives are at risk.
We continue to be inspired by the courage of Dr Diab, Dr Rania Tfaily and their family who have fought for years to bring Canada’s practices and laws to light. Their lives and those of their children have been completely disrupted while Dr Diab was torn from his family and thrown into solitary confinement in France, with no opportunity to properly defend himself. It must not happen again.”
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Media Contact: Josh Paterson, Executive Director, BCCLA 604-630-9752 or [email protected]
