ABOUSFIAN ABDELRAZIK: BRING HIM HOME

Abousfian Abdelrazik - like Abdullah Almalki, Ahmad El Maati, Muayyed Nureddin and Maher Arar, other victims of what seems to be a Canadian programme of outsourcing torture - was, according to documents released by DFAIT, jailed on the recommendation of CSIS while on a visit to Sudan. In prison, he was beaten and tortured. In this context, he was interrogated by CSIS officials.

Eventually released and cleared of all suspicion by Sudan, as well as the RCMP and CSIS, his many attempts to return home to Montreal have been blocked rather than aided by Canadian officials. In December 2008, for example, the government stated in a letter to Mr. Abdelrazik’s lawyer that he must present a fully-paid-for plane ticket before Passport Canada would agree to issue an emergency passport. (Mr. Abdelrazik’s passport expired while he was in prison in Sudan.) At the same time, the government took the position that anyone who paid for his ticket could be charged under section 3 of the Al Qaida and Taliban Regulations (which says no Canadian shall “provide or collect by any means, directly or indirectly, funds with the intention that the funds be used” by a person on the UN list).
 

Video from the press conference in which the purchase of the ticket was announced is now online:

* Part one: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x_XWOBs8Ac
* Part two: www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4FD0KsKoR4

The flight leaves Khartoum on April 3rd. Mr. Abdelrazik’s lawyers have asked the government to confirm, by Friday, 27 March, that all necessary steps have been taken to ensure that he is able to get on his plane safely on 3 April. This is the final week to try to convince officials to follow through with this request.

To date, the government has not responded. However, CSIS has tried to distance itself from the affair publicly; a clear sign that the pressure is being felt. (Read coverage of CSIS statement in the media section of www.peoplescommission.org/abdelrazik.php.)


Please take the following actions:

1- Sometime this week, before Friday, 27 March, please CALL the office of Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs. Express your hope that the government will issue a travel document and take all other steps necessary to ensure that Mr. Abdelrazik is able to get on his plane on 3 April.

Lawrence Cannon
Telephone: (613) 992-5516
Fax: (613) 992-6802
EMail: CannoL@parl.gc.ca

2 - Approach organizations you are involved in to ENDORSE the public campaign to bring Abousfian Abdelrazik back home. (See list of groups who have already endorsed below).

3 - Please write a brief SOLIDARITY NOTE to Mr. Abdelrazik, care of projectflyhome@gmail.com.


If the government does not take the steps necessary to ensure that Mr. Abdelrazik is able to board his plane on 3 April, we will be calling for protest actions on 3 April. If you would like to help out in your location, please get in touch at projectflyhome@gmail.com.

 

 

*The public campaign to bring Abousfian Abdelrazik home is endorsed by:

People’s Commission Network
Canadian Labour Congress
No one is illegal Ottawa
International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group
PeaceWorks, Sarnia, Ontario
Peaceworks, Midland, Ontario
People for Peace, London
Council of Canadians | London
Educators for Justice - Waterloo Region Catholic School Board
Camp Micah: Leadership for Peace and Justice
Polaris Institute
Hamilton Coalition to Stop the War
Boundary Peace Initiative
Peace Alliance Winnipeg
Canadian Peace Alliance
Bengali Students Association of the University of Waterloo
Fredericton Peace Coalition
Advocacy Collective, Fredericton
Rassemblement Outaouais contre la guerre (ROCG)
Tikkun Toronto
Canadian Union of Postal Workers
NOWAR-PAIX
Bathurst United Church in Toronto
The Justice for Mohamed Harkat Committee
Toronto Action for Social Change