Due Process Deserved for Abdelrazik

OTTAWA--The Green Party of Canada is calling on the Harper government to abide by the Federal Court ruling and bring Canadian citizen Abousfian Abdelrazik home from Sudan. "The Canadian government has kept this man from his family for six years, all on the basis of a vague suspicion," said Green Leader
Elizabeth May. "Will they drag this out even longer by appealing the Federal court ruling or will they finally act with integrity and issue Mr. Abdelrazik a passport so he can come home?"

"The Government of Canada has no evidence that Mr. Abdelrazik poses any threat to national security," May continued. "Our own government is trampling this man's rights based on information most likely gained through torture.  The situation is shocking and the government must end the game they are playing with this man's life."

Mr. Abdelrazik was arrested in Sudan in 2003.  He was held, possibly tortured, and finally released by the Sudanese secret police.  He has never been charged with any crime and has had no trial.  The Canadian government refuses to give him travel documents to return home, forcing him to live at the Sudanese embassy for the past year while his family awaits his return to Montreal.

On Thursday, a Federal Court judge ruled that the Harper government is violating Abousfian Abdelrazik's constitutional rights and must fly him home immediately.

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Contact:
Michael Bernard
Communications Officer
Green Party of Canada
613-562-4916 ext. 244
(c) 613-614-4916
michael.bernard@greenparty.ca