Dr. Hassan Diab is a Canadian citizen and sociology professor who lived in Ottawa, Canada. He was extradited to France in 2014 in a case widely viewed as a wrongful conviction in the making. Dr. Diab has been detained since then in France for questioning, based on secret, anonymous “intelligence” allegations possibly gleaned from torture.
Dr. Diab was extradited based solely on a widely discredited handwriting report that the Canadian extradition judge described as “illogical”, “very problematic”, “convoluted”, and “suspect”. The judge noted that the low threshold for evidence under Canada’s extradition law compelled him to order Dr. Diab’s extradition.
In 2016, a French investigative judge found “consistent evidence” supporting Dr. Diab’s innocence, concluding that Hassan could not have been in Paris at the time of the 1980 bombing for which he is under investigation. In May and again in October 2016, the French investigative judge ordered Dr. Diab’s release on bail, finding no grounds for his further detention.
The prosecutor appealed and the French Court of Appeal unfortunately overturned the release orders, and Dr. Diab remains imprisoned in a special segregated unit with only two hours per day out of his cell.
The prospects of a fair trial in the current political climate in France are very slim. There is a real risk that Hassan may be wrongfully convicted due to the heavy reliance of France’s anti-terrorism courts on secret, anonymous intelligence.
Dr. Diab’s fingerprints, palm prints, and physical description do not match those of the suspect. He is not an anti-Semite, and he strongly condemns all forms of bigotry and violence. Hassan must not face life in prison for a crime that he did not commit and that runs contrary to everything he has ever stood for.
We call upon the Government of Canada to work towards the immediate granting of bail to Dr. Hassab Diab and securing his urgent return to his family and home in Canada.
Recent Articles on Dr. Hassan Diab’s Case
- “No evidence? No problem. – What Hassan Diab’s extradition and imprisonment in France tells us about Canada’s casual relationship with the rule of law”, by Matthew Behrens, March/April 2017 issue of The CCPA Monitor.
- “Hassan Diab supporters fear changing political climate could hurt chances of fair trial”, by Aedan Helmer, Ottawa Citizen, February 18, 2017.
How You Can Help
JOIN the Bring Hassan Home Campaign and sign a statement of support for Dr. Hassan Diab. To sign, complete the form at http://www.justiceforhassan diab.org/bring-hassan-home
WRITE to Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs (Ms. Chrystia Freeland), Minister of Justice (Ms. Jody Wilson-Raybould), and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Mr. Omar Alghabra) about Hassan’s plight. Urge them to bring Hassan back to his home and family in Canada. For a sample letter, visit http://www.justiceforhas sandiab.org/help
DONATE to Hassan’s legal defence in France. Your donation – of any amount – will help provide an innocent man with the means to defend himself. For information about how to donate, visit http://www.justiceforhas sandiab.org/donate
Join us for Two Events in Kingston on March 8, 2017
Join us on Wednesday March 8, 2017, in Kingston, Ontario, for TWO events about the case of Dr. Hassan Diab.
FIRST Event:
- Where: Mackintosh-Corry Hall, Room B201, Queen’s University, Kingston
- When: Wednesday March 8, at 12:00 noon
- What: Donald Bayne (Hassan’s lawyer, renowned criminal law advocate, and former Queen’s U. Gaels quarterback) will tell us about the case of Dr. Hassan Diab. See poster.
SECOND Event:
- Where: Unitarian Place, 206 Concession St., Kingston
- When: Wednesday March 8, at 7:00 pm (doors open at 6:40 pm)
- What: We will be showing the short documentary “Rubber Stamped: The Hassan Diab Story”, followed by an info session led by Donald Bayne. Complimentary light refreshments will be served.
Both events are FREE and open to the public.
Hassan Diab Support Committee
[email protected]
http://www.justiceforhassandia b.org
