• About
  • Join/Donate
  • Contact
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
The Brief
NB MEDIA CO-OP
Share a story
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Gender
  • Politics
  • Arts & Culture
  • Videos
  • COVID-19
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Gender
  • Politics
  • Arts & Culture
  • Videos
  • COVID-19
No Result
View All Result
NB MEDIA CO-OP
No Result
View All Result
Home *Opinion*

Fredericton Peace Coalition supports Abousfian Abdelrazik

by Fredericton Peace Coalition
October 1, 2011
Reading Time: 3min read
Fredericton Peace Coalition supports Abousfian Abdelrazik

Abousfian Abdelrazik with his hand on heart

We are writing this letter to denounce in the strongest of terms the leak of secret information about Abousfian Abdelrazik, which led to two La Presse articles being published that link Abdelrazik to claims that have already been shown to be false.

Many of us in Fredericton had the pleasure to hear first hand from Abdelrazik of his struggles when he visited Fredericton, New Brunswick, in September 2009. He gave a public talk on September 29 to a packed auditorium at the University of New Brunswick. Based on the reports that followed, we are aware that he impressed and inspired those who attended. One woman stopped Abdelrazik on the street to say that she was ashamed of the way that our government was treating him.

The timing of this smear campaign coincides with Abdelrazik’s application to get off the UN 1267 list. Abdelrazik submitted an application for delisting to the UN committee that oversees the list in January 2011. At the time of the publication of the two articles, Abdelrazik’s application was in the last stages of the review process and moving into the final, decision-making phase, in which Security Council members examine a report written by the 1267 regime’s Ombudsperson and decide whether or not to remove his name from the list. A decision could be made in days, weeks or months.

At this sensitive time, someone gave La Presse a secret document, written by CSIS for Transport Canada seven years ago, containing allegations against Abdelrazik. The Federal Court had earlier found those same allegations to be unproven; Transport Canada had not taken them seriously; and, in fall 2007, CSIS and RCMP told the Canadian government that they had no information against Abdelrazik.

Furthermore, the UN Ombudsperson had, just weeks before the leak, asked Canada if it knew of any reasons why Abdelrazik should remain on the blacklist, and had been informed, again, that CSIS could provide no information indicating that he should remain on the list. Finally, the leak was illegal and the same story had already been leaked in June 2007. Despite all of this, national and international media did not do their homework and ran with stories based on the allegations already proven to be false.

Abousfian categorically denies the many vicious allegations that were made against him in the media.

We hope that this media smear campaign will not negatively impact the outcome of Abdelrazik’s bid for freedom.

Although the leak was illegal, neither CSIS nor RCMP have made any moves to investigate it.

Besides asking to be removed from the list, Abdelrazik is also challenging the legal basis of the 1267 list, which violates numerous human rights enshrined in Canadian law (see legal motion at www.peoplescommission.org/files/abousfianMedia/1267Application.pdf). Successful legal challenges have already been mounted in UK and European courts. Abdelrazik’s legal challenge may come to court as early as this fall, but a date has not yet been set for hearings.

Meanwhile, life under sanctions makes life very difficult for Abdelrazik. He has not been able to work for years. Child assistance benefits owed to him by the Québec government are still being withheld. Last month, the Régie des rentes finally sent the money owing to Abdelrazik to his bank account but his bank promptly returned it to the Régie des rentes, demanding a certificate from the Department of Foreign Affairs, just as the Régie had done five months earlier.

We fully support Abdelrazik’s struggle for justice including accountability for the illegal leak of information, his immediate removal from the UN 1267 list and his legal challenge against the UN 1267 list.

Tags: Abousfian AbdelrazikblacklistCSISRCMP
ShareTweetSend

Related Posts

Did the RCMP attend a university book launch to stop a crime?
Canada

Did the RCMP attend a university book launch to stop a crime?

January 22, 2021

It was not your typical book launch. Now, a formal information request of the RCMP has revealed that police intended...

When drones guard the pipeline
*Opinion*

RCMP shrugs off findings it acted illegally at Rexton raid on anti-shale gas protesters

November 18, 2020

The RCMP is refusing to accept several findings made by the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission on the RCMP response...

Wet’suwet’en solidarity action disrupts Deputy Prime Minister’s visit to Halifax
Canada

Wet’suwet’en solidarity action disrupts Deputy Prime Minister’s visit to Halifax

February 12, 2020

On February 12 at 2pm, Haligonians gathered to disrupt a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Nova Scotia...

Miles Howe on policing of Indigenous rights activists
Indigenous

Miles Howe on policing of Indigenous rights activists

February 6, 2020

Miles Howe returned to New Brunswick on Feb. 4 to present his research on the surveillance of Indigenous rights activists....

Load More

Recommended

Corinne Hersey, Fredericton mayoral candidate: “You can’t be a leader unless you’re serving the people”

Corinne Hersey, Fredericton mayoral candidate: “You can’t be a leader unless you’re serving the people”

5 days ago
Wolastoqey leaders shocked by attack from Higgs government

Wolastoqey leaders shocked by attack from Higgs government

15 hours ago
Behind the “Axe the Double Tenant Tax” sign

Is New Brunswick’s so-called “double tax” increasing your rent?

18 hours ago
UNB Departments of History and Classics statement against anti-Asian racism

UNB Departments of History and Classics statement against anti-Asian racism

6 days ago
NB Media Co-op

© 2019 NB Media Co-op. All rights reserved.

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Join/Donate
  • Contact
  • Share a Story
  • Calendar
  • Archives

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • Join/Donate
  • Contact
  • Share a Story
  • COVID-19
  • Videos
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Arts & Culture
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Politics
  • Rural

© 2019 NB Media Co-op. All rights reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In