Ali Dirie’s Bail Hearing

JUNE 2ND ACTION ALERT: End Solitary Confinement & Respect the Rights of Detainees

Please join us in sending a letter in protest of illegal detentions of some of the Toronto18 guys.

Thank You
Kind Regards

JUNE 2ND ACTION ALERT:
End Solitary Confinement & Respect the Rights of Detainees

Please forward widely.

A C T I O N A L E R T
End solitary confinement.
Respect the rights of detainees.

June 2, 2008 marks the two-year anniversary of the arrest of the so-called ‘Toronto 18′. Since then, the Crown prosecution has been forced to stay all charges against seven of the men, effectively finding them innocent – but not before most of them spent over a year in solitary confinement.

Among the 11 men still in custody, three of them – Fahim Ahmad, Zakaria Amara and Mohammed Dirie – have been in solitary confinement since the day of their arrest, now two years.

The trials for these men have not even been scheduled yet. And under Canadian law, the men remain presumed innocent. But the government has held them in conditions that do not meet the minimum standards of detention established by the Canadian corrections system.

Please take a moment of your time between now and June 2, 2008 to send a message of protest to the provincial and federal ministers (and their opposition critics) responsible for correctional services in Canada. Express your opposition to the inhumane and illegal conditions in which these men have been held for two years.

We, as Canadians, have no right to criticize human rights abuses abroad as long as we ignore them here in Canada. Thank you for your ongoing support.

In solidarity,
Presumption of Innocence Project
www.presumptionofinnocence.ca presumptionofinnocence@gmail.com

Step 1:
Cut and paste the following e-mail addresses into the address line (e-mail addresses for the Ontario Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, and his opposition critics; the federal Minister of Public Safety, and his opposition critics; the Ontario Attorney – General, and his opposition critics; and the Attorney – General of Canada, and his opposition critics):

jus.g.sgcs.webmaster@jus.gov.on.ca, rbartolucci.mpp@liberal.ola.org, rbartolucci.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org, pkormos-qp@ndp.on.ca, pkormos-co@ndp.on.ca, tabunsp-qp@ndp.on.ca, tabunsp-co@ndp.on.ca, garfield.dunlop@pc.ola.org, garfield.dunlopco@pc.ola.org, cbentley.mpp@liberal.ola.org, cbentley.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org, christine.elliott@pc.ola.org, christine.elliottco@pc.ola.org, communications@ps.gc.ca, Day.S@parl.gc.ca, days1@parl.gc.ca, priddp@parl.gc.ca, priddp1@parl.gc.ca, dosanjh.u@parl.gc.ca, dosanu1a@parl.gc.ca, webadmin@justice.gc.ca, Nicholson.R@parl.gc.ca, Nichor1@parl.gc.ca, Nichor2@parl.gc.ca, comartin.j@parl.gc.ca, comarj@parl.gc.ca, cotler.i@parl.gc.ca, cotlei@parl.gc.ca, cotlei1@parl.gc.ca

Step 2 (OPTIONAL):
Personalize your message with a few lines about why you want the government to end solitary confinement and respect the rights of detainees.

Step 3:
Cut and paste the following message into the body of your e-mail. Be sure to add your name, your address and date at the end of the letter. In the subject line, please write: Over 700 days in solitary confinement.

Dear Mr. Bartolucci and Mr. Day:

Fahim Ahmad, Zakaria Amara and Mohammed Dirie are part of the so-called ‘Toronto 18′ – a group of Muslim men and boys who were arrested in June 2006 and accused of terror-related activity. These three men have been held in solitary confinement for two years, in cells that measure 4 X 6 X 10 feet.

According to a study by the Correctional Services of Canada, enforced segregation for 60 days is ‘the most individually destructive, psychologically crippling and socially alienating experience that could conceivably exist within the borders of the country.’ In addition, the study notes that solitary confinement often leads to the development of psychosis (auditory and visual hallucinations and delusions), self-harm and suicide in detainees.

Prisoner advocates argue that 60 days is the maximum length of time that anyone should be held in solitary confinement. These three men have been held in solitary confinement for over 700 days, more than ten times what is considered safe.

Despite the hysteria that surrounds their cases, these men remain innocent until proven guilty. Accordingly, the conditions of their detention must meet the minimum standards provided to other detainees: regular access to meals, education, exercise outside their cells and social activity. The conditions of their detention must not be used as punishment for crimes for which they have not been convicted.

As Canadian citizens, these men have the right not to be subjected to any cruel and unusual treatment or punishment, as guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Their current conditions of detention are a violation of this right and of existing legislation that prevents cruel and unusual punishment in Canada.

Therefore, I demand that Fahim Ahmad, Zakaria Amara and Mohammed Dirie:

- Be released immediately from solitary confinement;
- Be guaranteed conditions of detention that meet the minimum standards provided to other detainees;
- Be guaranteed their constitutional rights through the establishment of safeguards by the appropriate authorities.

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to your prompt reply.

Sincerely,
Your name
Your address
Date

Step 4:
Send e-mail. If you’d like to let us know that you sent an e-mail, please CC presumptionofinnocence@gmail.com.

Source

Canadian law leaves Muslims under house arrest

Appalling!

Did you hear about Bill C-3 that was approved in Feb, 2008 by the Minister of Immigration and the Minister of Public Safety on the recommendation of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)?.

’tis unfair!

In a nutshell, it has allowed the government to detain non-citizens without charge or trial for years, on the basis of secret suspicions and vague allegations, indefinitely, and keep them under threat of deportation, even though there is risk of death, torture or other ill-treatment.

Current cases

Among the most prominent of the current cases:

• Mohammad Mahjoub, an Egyptian refugee and father of two, detained without charge since June 2000 in Toronto and then Kingston. Moved to house arrest in spring 2007.
• Mahmoud Jaballah, an Egyptian refugee and father of six, who was held 9 months in 1999, released, re-arrested in August 2001 on the same basis and held without charge ever since in Toronto and then Kingston. Moved to house arrest in spring 2007.
• Hassan Almrei, a Syrian refugee held without charge since October 2001 first in Toronto and then in “Guantanamo North”, a specially built prison which opened in May 2006.
• Mohamed Harkat, an Algerian refugee and married man, held without charge since December 2002 in Ottawa and then Kingston. Moved to house arrest in July 2006.
• Adil Charkaoui, a Permanent resident from Morocco, married with three kids, held without charge since May 2003 in Montreal. Released under severe conditions in February 2005.

Source

Unbelievable and Shocking: Dr. Sami Al-Arian’s Case

Kindly sign the petition to show your support to Dr. Sami. Please make sure to watch the video and forward it to your contacts. More the merrier!

Iraq Veterans Against the War Speak Out

Iraq Veterans Against the War Washington, DC Chapter president, Geoffrey Millard holds forth on veterans issues, his own experiences while serving in Iraq, and pays tribute to the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, for their having laid the foundation upon which IVAW was built.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070730/hedges

Iraqi Veterans Speak Up Against War

The way I see it, this war is hurting both sides. Perhaps its human nature to stand out against oppression and corruption but a trait most often neglected is courage.

Later Days

Take Care

Peace Out

Anti-war Activists Protest Dick and Vito Fundraiser

Just came across this powerful video on youtube and thought to share.  Feels good to see these people protesting.

The About section of this video says:

Anti-war activists protested on April 21, 2008 outside a fundraiser for Vito Fossella on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Fossella, derided by peace activists as “Bush’s Rubber Stamp” is in financial trouble – his campaign is faltering. The White House responded by dispatching Dick Cheney to a fundraiser hosted by mega-polluter Koch Industries. In this clip Debra Sweet introduces “Vito Fauxsella” as Cheney’s motorcade arrives.

Demand Fair Treatment of Steven Chand

Peace and Blessings Everyone

One of the Toronto18 guys is being unfairly treated in the jail. I am not going to refer to the Charter of Rights and Freedom here. I am just going to ask everyone this. Is this the humane thing to do to someone who is praying…It does not matter if Steve is really a criminal or if he is innocent. Prayer is a very sacred and personal act. Whoever is praying should be given a clean area to pray and should be given enough privacy. Putting Steve in a segregation cell just because he covered the toilet seat is so ridiculous, its beyond insanity…..

Steve has been punished simply for covering the toilet in his cell, while offering his prayers.
The guys are detained in very small cells and, as a result, are forced to pray next to the toilet, something that would cause concern to people of all faiths. Therefore, prior to praying, they usually draw a bed sheet across the toilet.

Steve did the same yesterday (Sunday). However, this time around, a guard slammed the door to his cell and ordered him to remove the sheet. Steve was unable to break his prayer right away since he was in the middle of it. The guard barged into Steve’s cell to remove the sheet and dragged him to the segregation cell for disobeying orders. This cell has faeces on the wall, the stench of urine, and is commonly used to detain troublesome or mentally challenged inmates. Steve will spend the next ten days in these conditions.

A lawyer representing one of the 11 remaining Toronto bomb plot suspects arrested on terror-related charges in June 2006 says his client has been roughed up in prison.

Michael Moon said his client, Stephen Chand, was taking a shower at Maplehurst provincial jail in Milton west of Toronto. When he tried to rinse soap from his hair, Moon said, a guard smashed Chand’s face into a wall, then dragged him naked along a hallway by his hair and threw him into a bare cell smeared with feces and smelling of urine.

The lawyer is demanding that surveillance videos of the incident be released by the Ontario government, though internal investigations at the facility found no wrongdoing by guards.

“These videos capture everything that goes on on the range,” Moon said, “If he [Chand] did anything wrong, it will be shown on the video. If what he says is accurate, that will be shown.”

Moon also says that when another inmate complained about the treatment of Chand, he too was thrown into the bare cell, known as the hole.

A spokesman for the Ontario government had no comment because the case is before the court. But he added that provincial corrections officials were committed to the just and humane treatment of inmates.

CBC’s Margo Kelly said there have been several allegations of verbal and physical abuse from the suspects arrested in a series of police raids in the summer of 2006.

These allegations are emerging as cases against several former suspects collapsed in recent months, Kelly said.

The first trial arising from the case began in March with publication bans on some of the evidence to be presented in court. The Crown has also opted to go directly to trial for some of the suspects, skipping a preliminary hearing.

Read the rest of the article here.

Kindly write or talk to the Superintendant Tom O Connel of MapleHurst Correctional Institute, demanding that Steve be removed from the segregation cell and all the inmates (whether Muslim or not) are provided with a clean and well-kept room for prayers. And if you hesitate to write this email, ask yourself how would you feel if you were punished for covering the toilet seat while praying…

Here is some relevant information, Toronto18.com posted.

To(Campaign to CALL and EMAIL Wednesday, Thursday & Friday (May 7,8 & 9, 2008)

Superintendant at Maplehurst Correctional Services

Superintendant Tom O’Connell
MapleHurst Correctional Complex
Milton, Ontario
905-878-8141
fax 905-878-5363

If you email the Superintendent, please CC the Minister of Correctional Services, at: rbartolucci.mpp@liberal.ola.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, at dlevac.mpp@liberal.ola.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it AND ynaqvi.mpp@liberal.ola.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

If you CALL the Superintendent, please also call the Minister Rick Bartolucci (416-325-0408), and two Parliamentary Assistants; Yasir Naqvi (613-722-6414) and Dave Levac (416-325-4925)

Please note that we also will hold a rally on May 14 to protest the conditions the guys have been detained in. More information on this is available on www.toronto18.com.

Talking Points:

1-Freedom of religious belief and practice is a fundamental right of all Canadians under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and of all Ontarians under the Ontario Human Rights Code.
2-The rights of Muslim inmates are violated by the failure to provide appropriate and clean space for prayer purposes.
3-In particular, forcing detainees to pray next to a toilet and punishing them for taking remedial steps, is conduct that would shock the conscience of Canadians.
4-The recent punishment and segregation of Steve Chand for covering the toilet with a sheet while praying, and for failing to break his prayer immediately when ordered to remove it, offends basic norms of decency and human rights.
5-Respecting the religious rights of inmates is binding upon all government detention facilities under the Charter and the Ontario Human Rights Code.
6-In light of the foregoing, I demand that Steve Chand be released immediately from enforced segregation, that the religious beliefs and practices of all inmates be respected, and that adequate and clean space be provided for prayer purposes.

Saad’s bail-hearing verdict.

Hi Everyone

Please come to Saad’s bail-hearing verdict.

Date: Tuesday, May-20-08

Location: 2-4pm

Street: 7755 Hurontario Street, Brampton, ON

Click here to see the map.

Thank You

Kind Regards

Hope

Hi Everyone

Today I was thinking about global warming, food crisis, war etc. issues that are afflicting mankind. And I thought “hope is dead”. The minute I thought that, I heard a bird chirp. Then I looked at the sky and the warmth of the atmosphere enveloped my entire being. I could hear the birds singing the song of hope, the song of life. And I felt convinced that “hope is still alive”. Its within us, without us, i.e. if we choose to see and choose to listen. God didn’t create mankind in vain. We, humans, weren’t meant to put ourselves at the brink of extinction although the majority are doing just that. But there is still hope since its possible to change the hearts of that majority. I sincerely believe that although I don’t quite know yet how to endeavour about this task. Perhaps I will learn as I journey in this world. However, for now “reaching the destination” isn’t the point; only the “journey towards it” matters. So, let’s all journey towards peace, solidarity, understanding and love for mankind.  I think the way is not through revenge but through forgiveness inshaAllah.

Later days

Take care and God Bless You.