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<h1 class="title">Amnesty International Reacts to Release of Report
into the Extradition of Dr. Hassan Diab</h1>
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content="2019-07-29T09:45:00-04:00">July 29, 2019</span></div>
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<p>OTTAWA (29 July 2019) - Reacting to the release on
26 July 2019 of the report of the External Review of
the Extradition of Hassan Diab from Canada to
France, Justin Mohammed, Amnesty International
Canada’s Human Rights Law and Policy Campaigner made
the following statement:</p>
<p>“On behalf of Amnesty International, I would like
to express our sincere disappointment with this
latest outcome in Hassan Diab’s long and arduous
journey in seeking answers and justice for the human
rights abuses that he has faced. Unfortunately, the
report of former Ontario Deputy Attorney General
Murray Segal does not provide meaningful answers to
the key questions that would allow Canada to ensure
that such a travesty of justice is never reproduced.</p>
<p> Mr. Segal’s review determined that the government
lawyers who handled Dr. Diab’s case fully complied
with the applicable law, practices and procedures.
That conclusion – that following Canadian laws,
practices and procedures led readily and inevitably
to serious human rights violations – should deeply
worry all Canadians. It demonstrates that the chosen
External Review was the wrong process, tasked with
the wrong terms of reference. It is important to
note that the concluding recommendations of Mr.
Segal are not focussed on ensuring that human rights
abuses are avoided in the future. Instead, they
envision minor adjustments which could streamline
the extradition process. They do not provide
meaningful insight into the legal and policy reform
agenda that would ensure that Canada does not
violate the human rights of its citizens and
others in accordance with an extradition request in
the future. Despite the ten-month long External
Review, this key question remains completely
unanswered.</p>
<p>Due to the limited nature of Mr. Segal’s mandate,
there are many questions about Dr. Diab’s
extradition and subsequent treatment in France that
remain unaddressed. Key information from Global
Affairs Canada about the provision of consular
services was not available to Mr. Segal due to
privacy concerns, and Mr. Segal was not tasked with
examining how this case was handled from a consular
perspective. The limited comments of Mr. Segal with
respect to Dr. Diab’s access to consular assistance
are nevertheless worrying. The Canadian government’s
frequent assertions that: 1) the French legal system
was reliable, 2) Canadian intervention with respect
to proceedings in France would be improper, and 3)
that it is not the role of Canadian officials to
monitor the fairness of a trial against a Canadian
citizen in a foreign jurisdiction, must be fully
assessed. As a result, Amnesty International
continues to call for a full and public inquiry into
these events, with a broad mandate and full judicial
powers, so that the relevant lessons can be learned
with the benefit of a full record.</p>
<p>Amnesty International deeply regrets that the Segal
Report leaves Dr. Diab, his family, and all
Canadians with no clearer understanding as to how
and why it was possible for a Canadian citizen, who
mounted a full and robust defence throughout lengthy
extradition proceedings, to be surrendered to France
on the basis of weak and unreliable evidence, and
then to languish in detention in France, almost
entirely in solitary confinement, without charge or
trial for more than three years. <strong> </strong></p>
<p>Mr. Segal’s report cannot be considered the final
word with respect to Dr. Diab’s extradition. We
further regret that the lengthy two-month delay and
release of this report at the end of July, means
that serious human rights issues related to what is
– and what is not – included in the report are
unlikely to receive the degree of parliamentary and
public scrutiny required because of the summer break
and upcoming federal election. Nevertheless, we
remain hopeful that this report will serve as a call
for the Government of Canada to recognize that our
extradition law, policy, and relations with
extradition partners is in desperate need of review
and reform.”</p>
<p>For further information, please contact Elizabeth
Berton-Hunter, Media Relations 416-904-7158<br>
<a href="mailto:bberton-hunter@amnesty.ca">bberton-hunter@amnesty.ca</a></p>
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<div class="rtecenter"><strong>Lucy Scholey</strong><br>
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Media Relations (Toronto)<br>
(416) 363-9933 ext 332</div>
<div class="rtecenter"><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:BBerton-Hunter@amnesty.ca">BBerton-Hunter@amnesty.ca</a></div>
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