ABOUT US

We are a broad coalition of civil liberties, human rights, peace, social justice and legal groups who have come together to demand the repatriation of Omar Khadr.

Statement of Unity:

Canadian citizen Omar Khadr is the only Western national left in Guantánamo Bay. Khadr and fellow detainee Mohammed Jawad are believed to be the first child combatants ever to face prosecution of alleged "war crimes". Khadr was only 15 years old when he was captured by US forces in Afghanistan and later transported to the infamous US detention centre where he has now spent more than a quarter of his life. Khadr faces trial by US military commission. The military commissions fall so far short of international human rights standards that it is impossible for Khadr to receive a fair trial at Guantánamo.

Recently disclosed documents provide further details about the mistreatment that Khadr has experienced in Guantánamo Bay, where the US has been accused of systematically torturing and ill-treating detainees. Reports show that Khadr was subjected to extreme forms of sleep deprivation, a form of torture, including a practice known as the "frequent flyer program" in which he was woken every three hours and moved to a different cell for 24 hours a day over a three-week period. Khadr was also placed in solitary confinement for extended lengths of time.

Court documents also reveal that the Canadian government was aware of the abuse suffered by Khadr at the hands of US authorities, yet continued to assure the Canadian public that US assurances that he was being humanely treated were reliable.

We ask that Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Government of Canada:

• Protect the rights of all Canadian citizens detained abroad, including Omar Khadr.
• Respect Canadian and international law that guarantees the presumption of innocence, due process and protection against torture and other cruel treatment.
• Request the repatriation of Omar Khadr from Guantánamo Bay, and work with US authorities to return him to Canada without further delay.
• Guarantee that Omar Khadr be fairly tried in an open civilian court, should admissible evidence warrant prosecution.
• Provide the necessary resources for Omar Khadr's rehabilitation and reintegration into Canadian society.

Member Groups:

Amnesty International (English and French sections)
L'Artistes pour la paix
Canadian Arab Federation
Canadian Council on Islamic-American Relations (CAIR-CAN)
Canadian Islamic Congress
Canadian Muslim Forum (FMC-CMF)
Canadian Peace Alliance
Council of Canadians
Hamilton Coalition to Stop the War
Human Rights Working Group of McGill University
Independent Jewish Voices
International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group
Kids for Khadr
L'Association Espace Femmes Arabes
La Fédération des Canadiens Musulmans
La Ligue des Noirs
Lawyers Against the War
Muslim Unity
Omar Khadr Project
Parole Arabe
Toronto Coalition to Stop the War