Canada condemned for deportation policy

Catholic New Times, March 8, 2005

Governments deporting suspected terrorists to countries that reputedly torture detainees are either breathtakingly naive, or complicit in the abuse, a recent Human Rights Watch report charged.

According to the New York-based watchdog's 95-page report, Western nations--including Canada--increasingly accept "hollow diplomatic assurances" of fair treatment from suspect governments. Governments have also sent, or propose to send, terrorist suspects to countries where torture is systemic.

"Countries that rely on such assurances are either engaging in wishful thinking or using the assurances as a fig leaf to cover their complicity in torture."

The report criticizes the United States especially, but devotes a whole section to Canada.

"The Canadian government has openly acknowledged that some persons subject to (national) security certificates would be at risk of torture or ill-treatment upon return (to home countries)."

Julia Hall, a lawyer with Human Rights Watch, says Canada must conform to the international ban on deporting people to possible torture.

"Canada is absolutely unique," said Hall. "The government reserves the right to return people to risk of torture. That position is so extraordinary. It so clearly departs from Canada's international obligations."

Cited was the case of Canadian citizen Maher Arar, who was deported to Syria by the U.S. in 2002. Although Washington claimed it received assurances from Damascus that Arar would not be ill-treated, Arar claimed his Syrian captors tortured him repeatedly before releasing him without charge 10 months later.