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<blockquote
cite="mid:CA+KV8U+3p4oxsyX6jD5=iTtzbLJ2Qv_0ZfGKqBv=bVKapZ6C9g@mail.gmail.com"
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<div dir="ltr"><b><i><span
style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Prevent
Hassan Diab’s Wrongful Conviction!<br>
</span></i><span
style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><br>
IN THIS ISSUE:<br>
<br>
1. Valentine's Vigil to Reunite Hassan with His Family<br>
2. Hassan Diab Prison Diary<br>
3. Update on the Hassan Diab Documentary Project<br>
------<br>
</span></b><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><br>
<b><font size="4">1. Valentine's Vigil to Reunite Hassan
with His Family</font><br>
</b><br>
<b style="font-size:11pt"><span style="color:red">Canada,
Have a Change of Heart. Bring Hassan Home!<br>
</span></b><span style="font-size:11pt;color:red"><br>
<b>What:</b> A Valentine's Vigil to Reunite Hassan with
his Family<br>
<b>When:</b> Tuesday, February 9, 11:00 am<br>
<b>Where:</b> Global Affairs Canada, 125 Sussex Drive,
Ottawa (followed by a walk to the French embassy)<br>
</span><br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">Please wear red, and bring
flowers and Valentines!</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">In November, 2014, Dr. Hassan
Diab was forcibly removed from Canada and imprisoned in
France. Hassan is fighting false allegations leveled
against him even though his physical description, his palm
and hand prints, and his handwriting do not match those of
the suspect in a 1980 crime that Dr. Diab has repeatedly
denied involvement in, and condemned. </span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">In other words, </span><b
style="font-size:11pt">the French government is holding an
innocent man</b><span style="font-size:11pt">. Thanks to
an extradition law that fails to protect Canadians’
rights, Hassan faces the possibility of wrongful
conviction and life in prison based on secret intelligence
and discredited handwriting analysis. This nightmare is
shared by Hassan’s family in Ottawa.</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">We are calling on Canada’s new
Liberal government to reconsider Hassan’s extradition,
declare it has had a change of heart, admit that the
decision to extradite Hassan was unjust, and work for the
return of Hassan to his home, family, and community in
Ottawa.</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">Please join us as we present
Valentines to Global Affairs Canada, asking them to have a
change of heart, and then walk a short distance to the
French embassy, urging them to also have a change of
heart, recognize they have the wrong man in custody, and
send Hassan back home. </span><br>
<br>
<b style="font-size:11pt"><span style="color:red">Map: </span></b><span
style="font-size:11pt;color:red"> </span><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://goo.gl/maps/8PcTmpAsy782"
style="font-size:11pt" target="_blank"><span
style="color:red"></span></a><a moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://goo.gl/maps/8PcTmpAsy782">https://goo.gl/maps/8PcTmpAsy782</a></span><span
style="font-size:11pt;color:red"><br>
<b>Getting there:</b> Take Bus 9 to the Global Affairs
Building<br>
</span><br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">If you cannot make it, please
send a brief note to the Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr.
Stéphane Dion, urging him to speak with his French
counterparts about bringing Hassan home. Mr. Dion can be
reached at: </span><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:stephane.dion@parl.gc.ca"
style="font-size:11pt" target="_blank">stephane.dion@parl.gc.ca</a><br>
<span style="font-size:11pt"> </span><br>
<i style="font-size:11pt">Please share this announcement
widely!<br>
</i><span style="font-size:11pt">------</span><br>
<br>
<b><font size="4">2. Hassan Diab Prison Diary</font><br>
</b><br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">Hassan Diab remains incarcerated
in a prison near Paris since he was extradited from Canada
on November 14, 2014. He has been in prison for 450 days by
now. He is expected to remain in prison for two or more
years while an investigating magistrate decides whether to
bring him to trial.</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">To give you a window into
Hassan’s life, we have started a </span><b
style="font-size:11pt">new blog</b><span
style="font-size:11pt"> featuring excerpts from Hassan's
letters from prison to his family in Canada. To read the
blog, please visit</span><br>
<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://hassandiabprisondiary.blogspot.com/"
target="_blank"><font size="4">http://hassandiabprisondiary.blogspot.com</font></a><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">The blog will be updated weekly
with excerpts from Hassan’s letters.</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">Hassan’s requests for bail have
been denied repeatedly, despite agreeing to very strict bail
conditions, including house arrest and electronic
monitoring. In refusing bail, the court relied on the
unsourced intelligence and discredited handwriting analysis
that were withdrawn from the extradition proceedings in
Canada.</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">In prison, Hassan is placed in a
special unit which holds 4 to 8 inmates. He is confined to
his cell for 20 hours a day. In the four hours a day when he
is allowed to leave his cell, he can access a small exercise
room, a small collection of books, and can interact with the
other inmates in his unit. He is denied access to the
general prison services, including the main library and
sports field. </span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">The hardest part for Hassan is
being separated from his family in Canada – his wife, his
toddler daughter, and his infant son who was born after he
was extradited. He communicates with his family mostly
through letters. He is not allowed to receive phone calls.
He must initiate calls to the outside world himself, and
only to approved phone numbers.</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">Hassan is grateful for your
continued support. Despite the hardship, he remains hopeful
that he will be exonerated and will return to his home in
Canada. Your support gives Hassan a real chance for justice
and hope to return home!</span><br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">------</span><br>
<br>
<b><font size="4">3. Update on the Hassan Diab Documentary
Project</font><br>
</b><br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">Many thanks to our supporters for
the successful crowdfunding campaign to fund the Hassan Diab
Documentary Project. </span><br>
<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-hassan-diab-documentary-project"
style="font-size:11pt" target="_blank">https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-hassan-diab-documentary-project</a><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">Award-winning filmmaker Amara
Wala recently completed a first cut of the documentary. Stay
tuned for further updates!</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">Those of you who requested a copy
of the documentary will receive it once it is completed.
Please contact us at </span><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:diabsupport@gmail.com" style="font-size:11pt"
target="_blank">diabsupport@gmail.com</a><span
style="font-size:11pt"> if you would be interested in
arranging a public screening to educate your community about
Hassan’s case.</span><br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">------</span><br>
<b style="font-size:11pt"><br>
Hassan Diab Support Committee<br>
Web:</b> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org/"
style="font-size:11pt" target="_blank">http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org</a><br>
<b style="font-size:11pt">Email:</b> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:diabsupport@gmail.com" style="font-size:11pt"
target="_blank">diabsupport@gmail.com</a><br>
<b style="font-size:11pt">Facebook:</b> <a
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/friendsofhassandiab"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/friendsofhassandiab">http://www.facebook.com/groups/friendsofhassandiab</a></a><br>
<b style="font-size:11pt">Twitter:</b> <a
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://twitter.com/friendsofhdiab"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://twitter.com/friendsofhdiab">http://twitter.com/friendsofhdiab</a></a><br>
<b style="font-size:11pt">Blog:</b> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://friendsofhassandiab.blogspot.com/"
style="font-size:11pt" target="_blank">http://friendsofhassandiab.blogspot.com</a><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size:11pt">------</span><br>
<span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">To
subscribe, send an email to: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:diabsupport-Subscribe@lists.riseup.net"
target="_blank">diabsupport-Subscribe@lists.riseup.net</a><br>
To unsubscribe, send an email to: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:diabsupport-Unsubscribe@lists.riseup.net"
target="_blank">diabsupport-Unsubscribe@lists.riseup.net</a><br>
</span><span
style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"></span>
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