Torture Canada

Audio Slideshow: Public Show, Secret Trial!

Starting Tuesday, December 9th, Adil Charkaoui is subjected to part of the public portion of his Secret Trial, though it has been revealed that CSIS has failed to provide evidence even to the court, let alone to Adil and his lawyers. It promises to be a veritable show trial: no charges; no evidence (apparently not even the judge has evidence to back up CSIS's secret reports); secret suspicions (Adil himself isn't even allowed to see the secret reports); low standards (the judge is not supposed to decide whether the allegations are true, but only whether they are "reasonable"). Meanwhile, secret hearings between the judge, the government and two special advocates have already taken place.

On Friday, 23 May, the Coalition Justice for Adil Charkaoui held the first People's Camp in the largely immigrant neighbourhood of Parc Ex in Montreal. Throughout the afternoon, hundreds of people visited the three tents, which provided information on security certificates, the campaign against security certificates, and the context of racial profiling and Islamophobia. Many stayed to participate in the workshops and discussions, led by members of the Coalition, No one is illegal, the Centre for Philippine Concerns, Pinay, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations - Canada (CAIR-CAN). Speakers from the Sikh community, the Freedom for Ivan Sancho Committee, the Muslim Council of Montreal, the Canadian Muslim Forum, Présence Musulmane de Montréal, Solidarity across Borders, and the South Asian Women's Community Centre (SAWCC) encouraged people to stand against the prevailing climate of fear, and to organize together against injustices carried out in the name of national security. Links to related issues - from proposed changes in the immigration law to indigenous struggles - were made by speakers from SIKLAB Canada, the Immigrant Workers Centre and from Barrière Lake. During heavy gusts of rain and wind, people took shelter inside the tents to eat and engage in animated discussions about the issues raised at the Camp.

The People's Commission Network is a working group of QPIRG-Concordia qpirgconcordia.org 514.848.7585 info@qpirgconcordia.org

Contact the People's Commission Network: QPIRG Concordia - Peoples's Commission Network c/o Concordia University 1455 de Maisonneuve Ouest Montreal, QC, H3G 1M8 commissionpopulaire@gmail.com

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