The Opening Panel

Adil Charkaoui, Yavar Hameed, Dominique Peschard, and Abdullah Almaki (from left to right)

The state kidnap and torture of Maher Arar is viewed as exceptional in Canada. Unfortunately it isn't. Other Canadians have undergone the same horrific treatment, including Abullah Almalki.

Abdullah Almaki

Abdullah Almaki, a Canadian engineer who was abruptly arrested on a visit to Syria in May 2003 was one of the featured speakers. Almaki spent almost two years in Syrian prisons, where he was interrogated under physical and psychological torture.

Mr. Almaki

Stephen Toope, fact-finder for the Arar commission, wrote in his report, "Of all the testimony I heard, Mr. Almalki's revealed the most intense pain and suffering." "Mr. Almalki was especially badly treated, and for an extended period.

Adil Charkaoui

Adil Charkaoui was arrested under a security certificate in May 2003. He spent almost two years in prison, on the basis of secret suspicions and under threat of deportation to torture.

Mr. Charkaoui

Since being released from prison he has been subject to severe, invasive control orders, which prevent him from leaving home without supervision, from using the internet and much else. He still lives under the uncertainty and threat of deportation.

The discussion was well attended by Montreal residents concerned with the introduction of new security certificate legislation.

Yavar Hameed

Hameed is the lawyer-founder of Hameed Farrokhzad St-Pierre Chambers. He workers primarily in the area of rights and liberties. His practice responds to the many examples of direct and indirect profiling of Arab-Muslim communities since 11 September.

Dominique Peschard

Peschard's concern for social justice and human rights has led him to become active in the Ligue des droits et libertés, as Vice-President and member of the board of directors since 2001.