The Afghanistan detainee transfer agreement of May 2007 has been cited by the government as providing for adequate monitoring and inspections of prisoners transferred by Canadian Forces to Afghan authorities. In testimony before the Special Committee on the Canadian Mission … Read More
Features Blog
Military commanders told of legal obligations to investigate claims of abuse
Posted onThe Toronto Star is reporting today that it has obtained a copy of a “top secret document” outlining the military’s obligation to investigate claims of transfer to torture in Afghanistan. The document at issue is a five-page memo dated May … Read More
CBSA delays laptop search Access to Information request
Posted onThe BCCLA has been following reports of searches of laptops, smartphones, and other electronic devices by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) for some time now. We’ve come across a lot of stories (see here, or here, or here for just … Read More
Khadr: a “trial” by any other name
Posted onA spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper said today that the federal government will not seek Omar Khadr’s repatriation, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling last week that the government has and continues to violate Mr. Khadr’s right to life, liberty … Read More
Khadr decision: what it means
Posted onToday the Supreme Court of Canada issued its decision in Prime Minister of Canada, et al. v. Omar Ahmed Khadr. The practical outcome is that, for now, the government does not have to ask for the return of Guantanamo detainee … Read More
Read this: “The Guantanamo ‘Suicides’”
Posted onPhoto: takomabibelot In an upcoming article in the March issue of Harper’s, Scott Horton reports on a possible (and ongoing) cover-up of the circumstances surrounding the death of three Guantanamo inmates in 2006. According to Horton: … new evidence now … Read More
Seeing through airport scanner rhetoric
Posted onThe BCCLA unpacks the Canadian response to the Underwear Bomber, pointing out critical flaws in the body scanning machines that will be appearing in Canadian airports in the near future. This article will break down the BCCLA’s complaints with the … Read More
Another blow to the security certificate system
Posted onphoto / mvcorks While the Parliamentary inquiry into the treatment of Afghan detainees may be dominating the headlines, the government’s security certificate system received another blow last week when the Federal Court quashed the certificate against Toronto resident Hassan Almrei. … Read More
Photo of the day: Empty chairs (UPDATED)
Posted onEmpty chairs, courtesy CBC Conservative MPs boycotted the Tuesday emergency meeting of the parliamentary committee looking into allegations that Canadian Forces transferred Afghan detainees to torture. The seven Conservative MPs on the Committee left their chairs empty while Opposition MPs … Read More
Colvin’s rebuttal
Posted onThis morning, Richard Colvin delivered a 16-page letter to the Special Committee on Afghanistan, setting out additional evidence and rebutting his government critics. The letter is worth reading in its entirety, but here are some of the highlights. First, Colvin … Read More
