The Coalition for Justice for Adil Charkaoui invites everyone to an evening panel discussion “CHAINED BY NATIONAL SECURITY: Challenging Canada's Secret Trials”. The evening will take place at McGill University, room 304 McConnell Engineering Building (3480 University), Thursday, 7 October 2004 beginning at 7:00pm.

Two out-of-town guest speakers will be addressing the assembly:

JULIA HALL, is counsel and senior researcher in the Europe and Central Asia Division at Human Rights Watch, USA. Ms. Hall is currently conducting research and advocacy on counter-terrorism measures post-September 11 and post-March 11 in North America and Europe with respect to their impact on civil liberties and human rights, in particular the erosion of the prohibition against torture and the nonrefoulement obligation. She is the author of numerous reports and commentaries on a variety of human rights concerns, including the April 2004 Human Rights Watch report “Empty Promises: Diplomatic Assurances No Safeguard against Torture."

ANDREW MITROVICA, is an award-winning author and journalist. A former investigative reporter with The Globe and Mail, Mr. Mitrovica is now contributing writer with The Walrus magazine. His book, Covert Entry: Spies, Lies and Crimes Inside Canada's Secret Service was awarded the 2003 Arthur Ellis Award for best-non fiction book by the Crime Writers of Canada. Born in Melbourne, Australia, Mr. Mitrovica is married with two young daughters. He lives in Toronto. He is Muslim.

The evening will be moderated by ROCH TASSÉ, National Coordinator of the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group, a coalition of over 30 Canadian NGOs and unions created to monitor the application of Canada`s anti-terrorism agenda.

Journalists are invited to interview the speakers after the event. Members of the Coalition for Justice for Adil Charkaoui will also be available for interviews.

Mr. Charkaoui is one of the “secret trial five”, five Muslim men whose lives have been torn apart by suspicions that they are not permitted to contest in a free and fair trial. The five men are detained under a security certificate, a measure of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act which has been described as “fundamentally flawed and unfair” by Amnesty International. They are detained without charge, on the basis of secret evidence, and face deportation to their countries of origin, even if there is risk of torture and death. None of the men have had, and, under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, none will have, a trial on whether or not the accusations made against them are accurate.