JUNE 2ND to JUNE 6TH ACTION ALERT:
End Solitary Confinement & Respect the Rights of Detainees
Please forward widely.
A C T I O N A L E R T
End solitary confinement.
Respect the rights of detainees.
June 2, 2008 marks the two-year anniversary of the arrest of the
so-called 'Toronto 18'. Since then, the Crown prosecution has been
forced to stay all charges against seven of the men, effectively
finding them innocent - but not before most of them spent over a
year in solitary confinement.
Among the 11 men still in custody, three of them - Fahim Ahmad,
Zakaria Amara and Mohammed Dirie - have been in solitary confinement
since the day of their arrest, now two years.
The trials for these men have not even been scheduled yet. And under
Canadian law, the men remain presumed innocent. But the government
has held them in conditions that do not meet the minimum standards
of detention established by the Canadian corrections system.
Please take a moment of your time between now and June 2, 2008 to
send a message of protest to the provincial and federal ministers
(and their opposition critics) responsible for correctional services
in Canada. Express your opposition to the inhumane and illegal
conditions in which these men have been held for two years.
We, as Canadians, have no right to criticize human rights abuses
abroad as long as we ignore them here in Canada. Thank you for your
ongoing support.
In solidarity,
Presumption of Innocence Project
www.presumptionofinnocence.ca presumptionofinnocence@gmail.com
Step 1:
Cut and paste the following e-mail addresses into the address line
(e-mail addresses for the Ontario Minister of Community Safety and
Correctional Services, and his opposition critics; the federal
Minister of Public Safety, and his opposition critics; the Ontario
Attorney - General, and his opposition critics; and the Attorney -
General of Canada, and his opposition critics):
jus.g.sgcs.webmaster@jus.gov.on.ca,
rbartolucci.mpp@liberal.ola.org, rbartolucci.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org,
pkormos-qp@ndp.on.ca, pkormos-co@ndp.on.ca, tabunsp-qp@ndp.on.ca,
tabunsp-co@ndp.on.ca, garfield.dunlop@pc.ola.org,
garfield.dunlopco@pc.ola.org, cbentley.mpp@liberal.ola.org,
cbentley.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org, christine.elliott@pc.ola.org,
christine.elliottco@pc.ola.org, communications@ps.gc.ca,
Day.S@parl.gc.ca, days1@parl.gc.ca, priddp@parl.gc.ca,
priddp1@parl.gc.ca, dosanjh.u@parl.gc.ca, dosanu1a@parl.gc.ca,
webadmin@justice.gc.ca, Nicholson.R@parl.gc.ca, Nichor1@parl.gc.ca,
Nichor2@parl.gc.ca, comartin.j@parl.gc.ca, comarj@parl.gc.ca,
cotler.i@parl.gc.ca, cotlei@parl.gc.ca, cotlei1@parl.gc.ca
Step 2 (OPTIONAL):
Personalize your message with a few lines about why you want the
government to end solitary confinement and respect the rights of
detainees.
Step 3:
Cut and paste the following message into the body of your e-mail. Be
sure to add your name, your address and date at the end of the
letter. In the subject line, please write: Over 700 days in solitary
confinement.
Dear Mr. Bartolucci and Mr. Day:
Fahim Ahmad, Zakaria Amara and Mohammed Dirie are part of the
so-called 'Toronto 18' - a group of Muslim men and boys who were
arrested in June 2006 and accused of terror-related activity. These
three men have been held in solitary confinement for two years, in
cells that measure 4 X 6 X 10 feet.
According to a study by the Correctional Services of Canada,
enforced segregation for 60 days is 'the most individually
destructive, psychologically crippling and socially alienating
experience that could conceivably exist within the borders of the
country.' In addition, the study notes that solitary confinement
often leads to the development of psychosis (auditory and visual
hallucinations and delusions), self-harm and suicide in detainees.
Prisoner advocates argue that 60 days is the maximum length of time
that anyone should be held in solitary confinement. These three men
have been held in solitary confinement for over 700 days, more than
ten times what is considered safe.
Despite the hysteria that surrounds their cases, these men remain
innocent until proven guilty. Accordingly, the conditions of their
detention must meet the minimum standards provided to other
detainees: regular access to meals, education, exercise outside
their cells and social activity. The conditions of their detention
must not be used as punishment for crimes for which they have not
been convicted.
As Canadian citizens, these men have the right not to be subjected
to any cruel and unusual treatment or punishment, as guaranteed by
the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Their current
conditions of detention are a violation of this right and of
existing legislation that prevents cruel and unusual punishment in
Canada.
Therefore, I demand that Fahim Ahmad, Zakaria Amara and Mohammed
Dirie:
- Be released immediately from solitary confinement;
- Be guaranteed conditions of detention that meet the minimum
standards provided to other detainees;
- Be guaranteed their constitutional rights through the
establishment of safeguards by the appropriate authorities.
Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to your prompt
reply.
Sincerely,
Your name
Your address
Date
Step 4:
Send e-mail. If you'd like to let us know that you sent an e-mail,
please CC presumptionofinnocence@gmail.com.
