A panel discussion with Julia Hall (Human Rights Watch) and Andrew Mitrovica(author of "Covert Entry: Spies, Lies and Crimes inside Canada's Secret Service"). Facilitated by Roch Tassé, national coordinator of the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group.

Thursday, 7 October 2004, 7:00 pm
Leacock Building, Room 26
McGill University
(metro McGill)

suggested contribution: $5

CHAINED BY NATIONAL SECURITY: Challenging Canada's Secret Trials

A panel discussion with Julia Hall (Human Rights Watch) and Andrew Mitrovica(author of Covert Entry: Spies, Lies and Crimes inside Canada's Secret Service). Facilitated by Roch Tassé, national coordinator of the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group.

Thursday, 7 October 2004, 7:00 pm
Leacock Building, Room 26, McGill University (metro McGill)

suggested contribution: $5

Adil Charkaoui has been locked up without charge on secret evidence in a Montreal prison for over 15 months. He is one of five Muslim men in Canada who are being denied their fundamental rights in the name of the so-called "war on terror". The men are denied bail, refused a fair trial, and face deportation to further abuses of their rights, including torture. Come and hear just how sketchy the evidence against them, shielded by the secret trial process, can be; how Canada is on the forefront of the legalisation of torture world-wide because of the steps it is taking in cases like these; and how we need to resist the threat posed to our freedom by the "war on terror".

JULIA HALL is counsel and senior researcher in the Europe and Central Asia Division at Human Rights Watch. Ms. Hall is currently conducting research and advocacy on counter-terrorism measures post-September 11 and post-March 11 in North America and Europe with respect to their impact on civil liberties and human rights, in particular the erosion of the prohibition against torture and the nonrefoulement obligation. She is the author of numerous reports and commentaries on a variety of human rights concerns,
including the April 2004 Human Rights Watch report "Empty Promises: Diplomatic Assurances No Safeguard against Torture."

ANDREW MITROVICA is an award-winning author and journalist. A former investigative reporter with The Globe and Mail, Mr. Mitrovica is now contributing writer with The Walrus magazine. His book, "Covert Entry:
Spies, Lies and Crimes Inside Canada's Secret Service" was awarded the 2003 Arthur Ellis Award for best-non fiction book by the Crime Writers of Canada. Born in Melbourne, Australia, Mr. Mitrovica is married with two young daughters. He lives in Toronto. He is Muslim.

ROCH TASSÉ is National Coordinator of the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group, a coalition of over 30 Canadian NGOs and unions created to monitor the application of Canada's anti-terrorism agenda. Following his studies in political science at the University of Ottawa, he worked as a social worker and a journalist before joining the Ottawa-based NGO Inter Pares in 1985. For over 15 years, he was responsible for the organization's programs in Central America and Mexico, with a special
focus on peace-building, refugee and human rights protection, and democratic development.

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Event organised by the Coalition for Justice for Adil Charkaoui

The Coalition for Justice for Adil Charkaoui formed in Montreal shortly after Charkaoui's abrupt arrest. The Coalition demands the immediate release of all Security Certificate detainees, no deportations, a fair
trial, an immediate end to the "Security Certificate" system, an end to the racist scape-goating of Muslims and Arabs in response to pressure from the US administration.

Sponsored by QPIRG-McGill and CKUT Radio 90.3 FM

E-mail: just...@riseup.net
Phone: (514) 859 9023