Ottawa: Justice for Mohamed protests "Guantanamo North"

The Justice for Mohamed Harkat committee and some three to four dozen people met on tuesday in a emergency protest in front of Immigration Canada. Mohamed Harkat one of the five Muslim men being held on Security Certificates was transfered secretively to a new facility near Kingston. Sophie Harkat, his wife was unaware when it happend as it was done without warning. The group chanted and sung things like "Where is the evidence against these men?" and "Down with, CSIS." Many people spoke in support of Sophie including Jessica Squires of International Socialists - Canada, Stuart Ryan for the Canadian Auto Workers Union (CAW), Jo Wood for the Ottawa Raging Grannies, Colin Stuart for the Religious Society of Friends, myself, and Christian Legeais media representative for the Justice for Mohamed Harkat Committee.

Opponents to the facility are calling it a Guantanamo North. The facility will house those on sercurity certificates which includes no charge, secret trials, and unavailability of the evidence held against them. Mohamed has been held for over 3 years without charge or fair trial. Unlike camp X-Ray in Guantanamo Bay however, the inmates will be able to see their families though, under strict conditions and, the names of all the inmates is known. There has also been widespread talk of torture at Camp X-Ray as the camp is a legal blackhole so, the same rules on human rights don't apply. This new facility is on Canadian territory and therefore not a black whole, but it could be why the Canadian government won't criticize what goes on at Guantanamo Bay.

Image From a December Protest

Tags: Protests, Ottawa, Security Certificates, Immigration Canada, Mohamed Harkat