Ex-Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day asked to account for issuing Security Certificates
by www.supportmahjoub.org
Vancouver, Toronto - Ex-Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day will appear in court today in Mohammad Mahjoub's security certificate reasonability hearing. Despite strong government opposition, Mr. Mahjoub's lawyers won the right to cross-examine Mr. Day about his involvement in issuing a security certificate against the Egyptian-born refugee, who has spent the last twelve years in detention (prison, house arrest or intrusive conditions) without charge.In Toronto, a press briefing will be held at the beginning of the lunch-break (generally around 12:30) outside the Federal Court House, 180 Queen West, followed by rally and teach-in with music and performers.
WHAT: Press Briefing, followed by Rally and Musical performances
WHEN: Thursday, September 6, 2012, lunch-break (at court discretion, usually c. 12:30)
WHERE: Outside Federal Court, 180 Queen West, Toronto
The court hearings are also open to media: in Toronto: 6th floor, 180 Queen West, Toronto, 11am to 6pm (local time). In Vancouver: 701 Georgia Street West, 3rd floor, Vancouver, 8am to 3pm (local time)
NOTE: Mr. Day will be testifying in Vancouver. He will be present in Toronto by video-link only. Mr. Mahjoub, his lawyers and the Court will remain in Toronto.
Hearings are subject to last minute change, so please stay in touch with our website, www.supportmahjoub.org, where updates will be posted.
BACKGROUND
After a year's delay, Mohammad Mahjoub's “reasonability hearings” have started again. Reasonability hearings are supposed to allow the judge to determine whether the “security certificate” against Mr. Mahjoub is reasonable. In parallel to secret hearings (which Mr. Mahjoub and his lawyers are not allowed to attend), public hearings are scheduled to continue through the fall.
It was an eventful year: last summer, Department of Justice employees made off with boxes of Mr. Mahjoub's confidential defence documents, leading to the suspension of reasonability hearings for an entire year. In December, media released court summaries of confidential memos dating from 2008 in which CSIS admitted that the “bulk” of their case against Mr. Mahjoub was based on information likely obtained under torture. In February, for the first time in 12 years, Mr. Mahjoub was permitted to leave Toronto; he immediately embarked on a seven-city speaking tour to tell his story to the public. In May, the Federal Court dismissed 11 government lawyers and clerks who were involved in seizing Mr. Mahjoub's confidential defence documents but ruled that the case should proceed. Finally, in June, on the eve of 12th anniversary protests in support of Mr. Mahjoub, the Federal Court threw out key parts of CSIS's case against Mr. Mahjoub. The decision acknowledged that CSIS-prepared summaries were not reliable as evidence and were no substitute for the original transcripts of intercepted conversations, which CSIS had destroyed.
Mr. Mahjoub (arrested in June 2000) is one of three Muslim men, including Mahmoud Jaballah (arrested 2001 in Toronto) and Mohamed Harkat (arrested 2002 in Ottawa) still fighting to free themselves from the injustice of security certificates.
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Media contacts:
416 721 3471
514 222 0205
More information:
Justice for Mahjoub Network
www.supportmahjoub.org
justiceformahjoub@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/SupportMahjoub
