[Fdu] update on case of Carleton University's Dr. Hassan Diab

Wed Oct 25 22:24:42 EDT 2017

	For action items and ways to help, please see below. All support and 
solidarity is deeply appreciated by Hassan's friends, family, 
supporters, and colleagues. CW

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Dr. Hassan Diab, the Canadian citizen and sociology professor who was 
unjustly extradited to France in November 2014, approaches his fourth 
year of imprisonment in France, despite his innocence.

In July 2017, the French investigative judge closed his investigations 
into the case after finding that there is “consistent evidence” that Dr. 
Diab was not in France at the time of the 1980 bombing near a Paris 
Synagogue. However, prosecutors have yet to respond despite the normal 
practice of defence and prosecution responding within 30-days of the 
closing of the investigation. Hassan’s lawyers responded within 30 days, 
urging Hassan’s release.

Hassan’s French lawyer, William Bourdon, noted that “though there is no 
legal sanction to the non-observance of the delays that apply once the 
investigations are finished, we are obviously very disappointed that the 
prosecutor does not comply with them in this case where Hassan Diab has 
consistently proclaimed his innocence and consistent evidence of his 
innocence was collected during the investigations. Hassan remains in 
prison in France where he has now spent almost three years despite 
repetitive release orders constantly overturned by the Court of Appeal.

Hassan’s Canadian lawyer, Donald Bayne, remarked, “This is yet another 
manifestation of the mounting injustices that have plagued this case and 
victimized Dr. Diab – who is this century’s Dreyfus – for the past 8 
years. Surely the great Republic of France will put an end to injustice, 
will listen to the investigating judge who has stated that there is 
consistent and corroborated evidence of Dr. Diab’s innocence”.

On September 21, MP Don Davies presented a Parliamentary petition 
<https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-833> signed 
by thousands of Canadians urging the Canadian government to bring Hassan 
home.

In addition, an Open Letter 
<http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org/bring-hassan-home> signed by 
hundreds of Hassan’s supporters was sent to Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, and Justice 
Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould urging them to put an end to Dr. Diab’s 
Kafkaesque situation.

Alex Neve, the Secretary General of Amnesty International, stated that 
“this further delay, attributable to the French prosecutor, is one more 
unconscionable injustice. At a minimum Mr. Diab must be released on bail 
while the case proceeds, and the Canadian government must – at senior 
levels – insist that it happens without any further delay.”

Dr. Diab has strongly condemned the crime, and steadfastly maintained 
his innocence. He has a lifelong record of opposition to all forms of 
bigotry, anti-Semitism, and violence, as attested by longtime friends, 
colleagues, and everyone who knows him. Dr. Diab’s fingerprints, palm 
prints, physical description, and handwriting do not match those of the 
suspect. Since his ordeal began in 2008, Dr. Diab has been imprisoned or 
under very strict bail conditions for almost nine years.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

*Read:
*

  * “Put him on trial or send him home: Michael Enright on the appalling
    treatment of Hassan Diab”, CBC – The Sunday Edition, September 19,
    2017
    <http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CBC-Radio-The-Sunday-Edition-2017-09-17.pdf>

  * “Canadian supporters seek release of Paris synagogue attack
    suspect”, France 24, September 21, 2017
    <http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/France24_2017-09-21.pdf>

  * “Ottawa academic Hassan Diab still in legal limbo in Paris prison”,
    Ottawa Citizen, October 16, 2017
    <http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/ottawa_citizen_2017-10-16.pdf>

*Listen:
*

  * Audio: Presentation by Mr. Donald Bayne, Hassan’s Canadian lawyer,
    May 2, 2016
    <https://archive.org/details/CanadianHassanDiabFalselyAccusedOf1980Bombing>

  * Audio: CKUT interview with Dr. Maeve McMahon, Carleton University
    Professor, October 13, 2017
    <http://archives.ckut.ca/128/20171013.11.00-12.00.mp3>
    (The interview with Dr. McMahon starts at 32:50, a little after the
    mid-point of the recording.)

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
*
How You Can Help:
*
Help us prevent Hassan’s wrongful conviction and bring him home! Please 
write to Canadian Government officials and urge them to intervene. 
Address your letters to the following:

  * Prime Minister Justin Trudea – pm at pm.gc.ca <mailto:pm at pm.gc.ca>
  * Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Chrystia Freeland –
    chrystia.freeland at international.gc.ca
    <mailto:chrystia.freeland at international.gc.ca>
  * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Omar
    Alghabra – Omar.Alghabra at parl.gc.ca <mailto:Omar.Alghabra at parl.gc.ca>
  * Minister of Justice, Ms. Jody Wilson-Raybould –
    Jody.Wilson-Raybould at parl.gc.ca <mailto:Jody.Wilson-Raybould at parl.gc.ca>

A sample letter is available:

  * Word version
    <http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Diab-Letter-to-Ministers-EN-2017-07.docx>
  * PDF version
    <http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Diab-Letter-to-Ministers-EN-2017-07.pdf>

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
*

*
*For More Information:*

Hassan Diab Support Committee
diabsupport at gmail.com <mailto:diabsupport at gmail.com>
http://www.JusticeForHassanDiab.org <http://www.justiceforhassandiab.org/>

To subscribe, send an email to: diabsupport-Subscribe at lists.riseup.net 
<mailto:diabsupport-Subscribe at lists.riseup.net>
To unsubscribe, send an email to: 
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<mailto:diabsupport-Unsubscribe at lists.riseup.net>

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