Torture Victims
May 7, 2008
AN UNUSUAL PROTEST DREW SOME PUBLIC STARES ON THE STREETS OF DOWNTOWN KINGSTON THIS MORNING. ABOUT 30 HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS GATHERED AT PRINCESS AND CLERGY DEMANDING AN END TO WHAT THEY ARE CALLING "CANADIAN INVOLVEMENT IN TORTURE." ONE OF THEM WAS DRESSED IN AN ORANGE JUMP SUIT AND BLACK HOOD, TO SYMBOLIZE A TERROR SUSPECT WHOSE HUMAN RIGHTS HAVE BEEN VIOLATED. JOINING THIS PROTEST ARE THREE CANADIAN CITIZENS WHO CLAIM THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ARREST AND TORTURE, WHILE VISITING THEIR NATIVE COUNTRIES OF SYRIA AND EGYPT. THE GROUP IS DEMANDING A PUBLIC INQUIRY INTO THEIR TREATMENT. -MATTHEW BEHRENS, COORDINATOR: "ULTIMATELY SOCIETIES THAT PRACTISE TORTURE LOSE THEIR DEMOCRATIC VALUES. AND WE'RE SEEING THAT THE DEMOCRATIC VALUES HAVE ALREADY BEEN LOST WHEN THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT TRIES TO COVER UP WHAT IT HAS DONE TO THESE THREE MEN. WE SEE THAT ON THE ISSUE OF AFGHAN DETAINEES. SO EVENTUALLY IT DOES AFFECT ALL OF US.") ABDULLAH ALMALKI, VICTIM: "WE NEED TO BE ASSURED THAT REFORMS ARE OUT IN PLACE SO THAT DOES NOT TAKE PLACE AGAIN, THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ANOTHER CANADIAN. AND WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE, THE OFFICIALS WHO DID THIS ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.")
THE HUMAN RIGHTS CARAVAN IS ON ITS WAY TO OTTAWA TO PRESENT A PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT TO STOP TURNING A BLIND EYE, AS TERROR SUSPECTS ARE TORTURED.
