Kerry Pither » Maher Arar http://kerrypither.com author • advocate • commentator Mon, 31 Jan 2011 21:04:53 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Join me this Saturday on Prism TV for a panel discussion on Omar Khadr http://kerrypither.com/2010/11/join-me-this-saturday-on-prism-tv-for-a-panel-discussion-on-omar-khadr/ http://kerrypither.com/2010/11/join-me-this-saturday-on-prism-tv-for-a-panel-discussion-on-omar-khadr/#comments Mon, 08 Nov 2010 22:16:10 +0000 kerry http://kerrypither.com/?p=605 Globe and Mail's Paul Koring, and Dennis Edney, Khadr's Canadian lawyer, as well as a focus group of 15 expert human rights activists, lawyers, academics, politicians and former public service workers. You can read more about it here, and watch live here.]]> http://kerrypither.com/2010/11/join-me-this-saturday-on-prism-tv-for-a-panel-discussion-on-omar-khadr/feed/ 0 Found: archived Arar Inquiry website http://kerrypither.com/2010/06/found-archived-arar-inquiry-website/ http://kerrypither.com/2010/06/found-archived-arar-inquiry-website/#comments Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:41:20 +0000 kerry http://kerrypither.com/?p=577 here.]]> http://kerrypither.com/2010/06/found-archived-arar-inquiry-website/feed/ 0 Art installation depicting Syrian detention conditions unveiled in Ottawa: Torture survivors still seek justice http://kerrypither.com/2009/12/art-installation-depicting-syrian-detention-conditions-unveiled-in-ottawa-torture-survivors-still-seek-justice/ http://kerrypither.com/2009/12/art-installation-depicting-syrian-detention-conditions-unveiled-in-ottawa-torture-survivors-still-seek-justice/#comments Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:08:20 +0000 kerry http://kerrypither.com/?p=477 here. Ottawa — Three Canadian torture survivors were at a news conference in Ottawa today to unveil an art installation depicting some of the suffering they endured in a Syrian military intelligence detention centre. Created by Ottawa artist Jenn Farr and builder Erik Windfeld, “El Abbar” (the grave) is a life-size replica of one of the underground, tiny, dark cells at the now infamous Far’ Falastin (Palestine Branch) Syrian detention centre. Ahmad El Maati was locked into one of these cells for two and a half months before being sent to Egypt. Abdullah Almalki survived one year, three months and twenty-five days in the tiny space. Beside him, Maher Arar was locked up for ten months and ten days. Muayyed Nureddin was locked into an over-crowded “common” cell down the hall. El Maati, Almalki and Nureddin said they hope the installation will help Canadians, and the government, better understand the horrors of torture. “I think it is very difficult for anyone to truly comprehend the conditions I was kept in – the loss of control over every aspect of my life, the filth, the smell, the constant sounds of people being tortured, the constant fear that I would be next and the feeling of being buried alive,” said Almalki. “I hope this will at least get people thinking, and better understanding, the horrors of torture.”]]> http://kerrypither.com/2009/12/art-installation-depicting-syrian-detention-conditions-unveiled-in-ottawa-torture-survivors-still-seek-justice/feed/ 0 U.S. court denies Arar’s right to sue http://kerrypither.com/2009/11/u-s-denies-arars-right-to-sue/ http://kerrypither.com/2009/11/u-s-denies-arars-right-to-sue/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:23:55 +0000 kerry http://kerrypither.com/?p=445 "Unfortunately, this recent decision and decisions taken on other similar cases, prove that the court system in the United States has become more or less a tool that the executive branch can easily manipulate through unfounded allegations and fear mongering....If anything, this decision is a loss to all Americans and to the rule of law." The full text of Arar's statement is available here. The full text of the decision is available in pdf format here. Here are some interesting snippets from the dissenting judges:]]> http://kerrypither.com/2009/11/u-s-denies-arars-right-to-sue/feed/ 0 The quest for answers begins; Abousfian Abdelrazik is coming home, but there’s still no system in place to ensure his ordeal is not repeated yet again http://kerrypither.com/2009/06/the-quest-for-answers-begins-abousfian-abdelrazik-is-coming-home-but-theres-still-no-system-in-place-to-ensure-his-ordeal-is-not-repeated-yet-again/ http://kerrypither.com/2009/06/the-quest-for-answers-begins-abousfian-abdelrazik-is-coming-home-but-theres-still-no-system-in-place-to-ensure-his-ordeal-is-not-repeated-yet-again/#comments Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:36:36 +0000 kerry http://kerrypither.com/?p=372 op-ed in today's Ottawa Citizen, I ask if anything has changed since Maher Arar, Ahmad El Maati, Abdullah Almalki and Muayyed Nureddin came home and demanded answers about Canada’s role in their torture. ]]> http://kerrypither.com/2009/06/the-quest-for-answers-begins-abousfian-abdelrazik-is-coming-home-but-theres-still-no-system-in-place-to-ensure-his-ordeal-is-not-repeated-yet-again/feed/ 0 “Habeas Corpus” – a fabulous new tune dedicated to Maher Arar http://kerrypither.com/2009/05/habeas-corpus-an-amazing-instrumental-piece-dedicated-to-maher-arar/ http://kerrypither.com/2009/05/habeas-corpus-an-amazing-instrumental-piece-dedicated-to-maher-arar/#comments Tue, 19 May 2009 17:08:25 +0000 kerry http://kerrypither.com/?p=339 New York Times and is featured in this month's Village Voice and in Newsweek, which proclaimed that "if Ellington went indie, he'd sound something like Darcy James Argue." I asked Argue about the piece dedicated to Maher Arar and here's what he said:
The piece was written in September and October of 2006, after the Canadian Commission of Inquiry issued its final report. I completed work on it shortly after President Bush signed the Military Commissions Act, enshrining into law the denial of habeas rights to "alien unlawful enemy combatants." It is dedicated to Mr. Arar but it's really a response not just to his specific case, but to the entire regime of torture, rendition, kidnapping, black site prisons and all the rest, which have become depressingly normalized. It's also my attempt to break through feelings of apathy, denial, "outrage fatigue," etc. (including my own) and attempt to express things that can't easily be put into words. I hope it resonates in some way with others and ideally stirs them to action.
Very cool. "Habeas Corpus" can be downloaded for free from National Public Radio (NPR) here, but I hope you'll purchase the tune or the whole album from New Amsterdam Records here.]]> http://kerrypither.com/2009/05/habeas-corpus-an-amazing-instrumental-piece-dedicated-to-maher-arar/feed/ 0 Why the government won’t let Abousfian Abdelrazik come home http://kerrypither.com/2009/05/why-the-government-wont-let-abousfian-abdelrazik-come-home/ http://kerrypither.com/2009/05/why-the-government-wont-let-abousfian-abdelrazik-come-home/#comments Wed, 13 May 2009 11:14:20 +0000 kerry http://kerrypither.com/?p=340 http://kerrypither.com/2009/05/why-the-government-wont-let-abousfian-abdelrazik-come-home/feed/ 0 Robert Fisk on accountability for complicity in torture http://kerrypither.com/2009/03/robert-fisk-on-accountability-for-complicity-in-torture/ http://kerrypither.com/2009/03/robert-fisk-on-accountability-for-complicity-in-torture/#comments Sat, 14 Mar 2009 16:20:24 +0000 kerry http://kerrypither.com/?p=288 Independent's Robert Fisk was in Ottawa a few weeks ago and spoke with Canadian torture survivor Abdullah Almalki, one of the men whose stories I tell in my book. Fisk writes about Almalki's case in his column, published today, and raises the all-important issue of accountability. "I want to know why those complicit in Almalki's torture – the letter writers, the composers of questions – cannot be tried in court," he writes. "They are, at the least, accomplices to human rights abuses." Good point. Especially since they aren't just not being held accountable — they're being promoted. Just this week we learned that the RCMP's Michel Cabana, the man who was in charge of the RCMP investigation that targeted Ahmad El Maati, Almalki, Maher Arar and Muayyed Nureddin, has been promoted to an Assistant Commissioner of the RCMP (Federal and International Operations, Border Integrity Section).
]]> http://kerrypither.com/2009/03/robert-fisk-on-accountability-for-complicity-in-torture/feed/ 0 New York Times calls on President Obama to apologize to Maher Arar http://kerrypither.com/2009/02/new-york-times-calls-on-president-obama-to-apologize-to-maher-arar/ http://kerrypither.com/2009/02/new-york-times-calls-on-president-obama-to-apologize-to-maher-arar/#comments Wed, 18 Feb 2009 23:39:14 +0000 kerry http://kerrypither.com/?p=254 New York Times is calling on U.S. President Obama to use the opportunity of his visit to Canada to apologize to Maher Arar. "Former President George W. Bush and his aides stubbornly refused to admit the grave injustice done to Mr. Arar," says the editorial. "President Obama must do better." It goes further:
Mr. Harper should press the American president on Mr. Arar’s behalf. President Obama can demonstrate his commitment to human rights and the rule of law by addressing Mr. Arar’s case. He should pledge to review the case, including any questions raised by security officials. His administration should also issue a full report on Mr. Arar’s mistreatment, along with an apology, and an offer to compensate him for his injuries. All are long overdue
. I have a feeling it may be up to President Obama to take the initiative on this one...]]> http://kerrypither.com/2009/02/new-york-times-calls-on-president-obama-to-apologize-to-maher-arar/feed/ 0 International Commission of Jurists releases damning report on global counter-terrorism measures http://kerrypither.com/2009/02/report-by-international-commission-of-jurists-releases-damning-report-on-global-counter-terrorism-measures/ http://kerrypither.com/2009/02/report-by-international-commission-of-jurists-releases-damning-report-on-global-counter-terrorism-measures/#comments Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:58:19 +0000 kerry http://kerrypither.com/?p=250 "Assessing Damage, Urging Action" cites the Maher Arar case as "an example of how transnational intelligence should not be happening." The report calls for the rejection of the “war on terror” paradigm and for a full repudiation of the policies grounded in it and emphasizes that criminal justice systems, not secret intelligence, should be at the heart of the legal response to terrorism.]]> http://kerrypither.com/2009/02/report-by-international-commission-of-jurists-releases-damning-report-on-global-counter-terrorism-measures/feed/ 0