Coalition Justice for Adil Charkaoui, 20 August 2007

Federal Court hearings
Wednesday, 22 August, from 9:30am (also, Thursday and Friday)
Federal Court, 30 McGill St., Montreal

In June, the Montreal daily La Presse published leaked top secret information, containing unproven, sensational allegations against Adil Charkaoui. Charkaoui will be in court this week to argue that the criminal leak of information constitutes a violation of his charter rights and an abuse of procedure. He will argue that the security certificate proceedings against him should be halted on this basis.

In a separate motion, he will argue that the conditions imposed on him should be lifted in view of the February 2007 Supreme Court ruling that the security certificate process is unconstitutional and in light of several revelations about the lack of credibility of the secret information in his file.

The Supreme Court ruling did not put an end to the ordeal for Charkaoui, his family, and others subject to the abusive secret trial process. The 34-year old Montrealer is still living under severe restrictions on his liberty, on the basis of secret suspicions compiled by Canada's spy agency, CSIS. Three men in Ontario are held under house arrest, and a fifth is isolated in Canada's infamous "guantanamo north" in Kingston, Ontario. All remain under threat of deportation, despite the recognized illegality of the process and the acknowledged risk of torture.

Proponents of liberty and equality are gearing up for a renewed battle this fall, as the Conservative government responds to the Supreme Court decision by introducing new secret trial legislation for non-citizens.

For an update on Charkaoui's legal file, click here.
For an overview of the Charkaoui case, click here.
For the legal argument about lifting conditions, click here.
For the legal argument to stay the proceedings based on the leak, click here.

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More information, interviews : cell 514 222 0205