Diab extradition a great miscarriage of justice

Former Carleton University professor Hassan Diab, who has been facing extradition on false charges related to a bombing of a synagogue in Paris in 1980, has been ordered extradited to face charges in France by Justice Minister Rob Nicholson.

This despite the fact that the charges against Diab have always rested on superfluous evidence of two handwriting samples in a Paris hotel that various experts have defined as not matching Diab’s, and calling the charges against him “demonstrably false”. Furthermore, those who have known Diab for years, such as his thesis adviser and colleagues at Carleton, have denounced the charges against him and have repeatedly stated that Diab has never demonstrated anti-Semitic thoughts or actions.

The decision for extradition came from Judge Robert Maranger, who stated that he allowed the extradition by the French government “regrettably” and in service of an extradition law he felt was unfair and gave undue weight to a case he characterized as “weak”. Ultimately, the case is yet another example of the overreaching of the current global “anti-terror” regime into the lives of citizens, as well as the attendant racial profiling of those people from Middle Eastern countries in relation to it.

It also sadly points out the wide gaps in Canada’s current extradition law in failing to uphold global human rights standards. Diab himself characterized the decison as such “we expected the minister to address our points, which he did not. He just ignored them and rendered his decision based on his political beliefs more than anything else.” The extradition is the latest insult to Diab, who since 2008 Diab has faced months of detention, the loss of his university position, and repressive bail conditions.

For information on the campaign to defend Diab, visit www.justiceforhassandiab.org.