By: Samir Shaheen-Hussain September 3, 2005 [Please note that according to a statement read at a rally held in Toronto today (September 3, 2005: see statement below), Hassan Almrei, on the 73rd day of his hunger strike, expressing his sorrow that the government will not give him his rights, expressing his faith in the people of Canada, said that the outcry following his hunger-strike has given him enough new hope that he will end his hunger-strike, but not the struggle for his rights. Mohammad Mahjoub continues with his hunger strike, having completed his 59th day today.] On Friday, September 2nd, 2005, a group of health professionals made up of nurses and medical doctors formed a delegation to Prime Minister Paul Martin's office in Old Montreal. We wanted to present the PM with a letter outlining our grave concerns about the health and well-being of Mr. Hassan Almrei and Mr. Mohammad Mahjoub who, along with 3 other Muslim men, make up the "Secret Trial Five". Mr. Almrei and Mr. Mahjoub are currently being detained under a security certificate process in Metro West Detention Centre in Toronto and had been on a hunger strike for 72 and 58 days, respectively, as of September 2nd. The goal of the delegation was to focus attention on the prolonged hunger strike of these two men, while urging the PM to act immediately to have their demands met so that their health and lives are no longer at risk. Their demands are modest, to say the least, given that they have been held without charges and without having access to any evidence that may be being used against them as part of the security certificate process for four and five years, respectively; Mr. Almrei's principal demand is to be allowed to have one hour outside his solitary confinement cell while Mr. Mahjoub's is to have contact visits with his wife and children. Although two men are not convicted of any crime, they are demanding no treatment beyond that which is accorded to most federal prisoners!During the delegation, the media was informed of the fact that Mr. Almrei and Mr. Mahjoub have been ingesting only water and some orange juice. The deleterious physical and psychological effects of such an excessively prolonged hunger strike - particularly in light of the deplorable conditions of long-term solitary confinement detention with no trial, under threat of deportation to torture - were underscored. The delegation's attempt to hand-deliver the letter to the PM's office was cut short by security blocking our entrance and subsequently locking us out. After some confusion, and perhaps due to the persistence of members of the delegation wanting to gain entry with media cameras steadfastly looking on, security personnel advised the delegation that there would be someone from the PM's office who would be coming down to speak with us. Subsequently, a security officer was sent to speak with one of the members of the delegation; a pseudo-forced agreement was reached where only two members of the delegation would be allowed entry into the office, but without any media accompaniment. Other members of the delegation were forcefully prevented from entering the building. After several minutes, the attaché from the PM's office did come out to meet the delegation and was presented with the letter in front of the cameras. She assured the delegation that she would bring the contents of the letter to the PM's attention as soon as possible, although refused to provide any assurance as to whether the PM would intervene immediately, particularly given concerns about bureaucratic delays anticipated because of Labour Day weekend -- a concern that was shared by the health care workers, fearing that even one further day's delay could be fatal for the two hunger strikers. The delegation served as an important, but arguably desperate, attempt to shed more attention on the hunger strikes of Mr. Almrei and Mr. Mahjoub to avoid a tragic and fatal outcome. It is regrettable that a crisis is necessary to focus attention on the deplorable and unnecessary suffering of the security certificate detainees and that in the process a broader focus on the draconian security certificates, which allows for their arbitrary detention in the first place, is jettisoned. While Dr. Amir Khadir, member of Médecins du Monde, did liken the situation of the men detained under the auspices of security certificates to those imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay by the United States, our intervention generally shied away from exposing the security certificates as inherently illegal and unjust. With concern understandably centered on the immediate life and death of Mr. Almrei and Mr. Mahjoub, the fact that the security certificates clearly contravene articles 7 and 9 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (as former Solicitor General, Warren Allmand, stated at a rally in support of Hassan Almrei this past week) was overshadowed. Due to the immediate emergency, focus turned attention away from the context: the attack on immigrants and refugees - particularly of Arab, South Asian and Muslim background - which has been exacerbated since the United States unilaterally declared its "war on terror" following 9/11/2001; an attack the Canadian government has legislated through, inter alia, provisions in the Immigrant and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). Such policies manifest themselves not only in the on-going use of security certificates (which have been in effect since 1991), but also in the exploitation of migrant workers and the deportation of refugee claimants, permanent residents and (as in the highly-publicized case of Maher Arar) Canadian citizens. It is clear that Mr. Almrei and Mr. Mahjoub's demands must be met immediately so that they may end their hunger strike and receive appropriate medical treatment. However, this will be no victory at all so long as these men remain in indefinite detention (or, in the case of Adil Charkaoui - who was recently released on bail - so long as his activities are severely restricted and closely monitored) without charge, without having access to any evidence being used against them, without recourse to a fair and open trial, and under the omnipresent stress of eventual deportation to further psychological and physical torture. Free the Secret Trial Five in 2005! ** Samir Shaheen-Hussain is a social justice activist and writer, and is a member of the Montreal-based Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movement (IPSM). He is trained as a medical doctor. ======================== LETTER FROM DOCTORS

(translation from French) Dear Mr. Prime Minister, The undersigned health professionals would like to express our grave concern about the effects of the hunger-strike and conditions of detention on the health of Mr Hassan Almrei and Mr. Mohammad Mahjoub. As you know, these two men have been ingesting only water and some orange juice, for 72 days in the case of Mr. Almrei and 58 in the case of Mr. Mahjoub. This is an excessively prolonged period for such a severe hunger strike. In comparison, may we remind you that the duration of Mr. Almrei's hunger-strike dangerously approaches the maximum survival time for the Irish political prisoners of the 1980's, some of whom died after a much shorter hunger strike. According to the information we have, Mr. Almrei has already lost 50 pounds. It is important to note that a weight loss of 35-50% of initial body weight is considered to be incompatible with life. Given that the average male weighs approximately 150 pounds, the weight loss that has already occurred appears alarming. Despite the ingestion of a little sugar and vitamins, the risk of death due to overwhelming infections, heart arrhythmias, or the dysfunction and failure of vital organs is quite high, if not imminent. Grave and permanent sequelae, including severe neurological impairment and other complications, can be predicted if the hunger strike continues, as well as further complications with the cessation of the strike and medical treatment. Additionally, the conditions of detention to which the two men are subject are far from conducive to physical and mental health. In fact, a balanced diet and a modicum of physical exercise constitute the most basic requirements of physical health. Moreover, a sense of security about the future as well as significant and regular human contact are among the essential conditions for safeguarding mental health. These fundamentals appear to be absent from the current conditions under which Mr. Almrei and Mr. Mahjoub are detained, in complete contradiction with the directives of our various professional orders. Prolonged solitary confinement, the uncertainty of the legal proceedings, the threat of deportation to a country which practices torture constitute treatment which is comparable to psychological torture, and which we denounce as injurious to mental health. In conclusion, we regard the conditions under which Mr. Almrei and Mr. Mahjoub are currently detained to be unacceptable from a health standpoint. It is shocking that people have to resort to a hunger strike to demand conditions that we feel to be so basic and justified. Furthermore, it is imperative to understand that if this hunger strike continues much longer, a fatal outcome or at least a disability is to be expected. This is an entirely avoidable outcome and for these reasons we urge your urgent and immediate intervention to avoid an extremely regrettable consequence in anticipation of the upcoming Labour Day long weekend. Yours sincerely, Nazila Bettache, MD Janet Cleveland, PhD Pierre Dongier, MD Catherine Gagnon, RN Samir Hussain, MD Amir Khadir, MD Marie Munoz, MD Marie Jo Ouimet, MD Olivier Sabella, MD Scott Weinstein, RN Gerald van Gurp, MD ======================== STATEMENT BY HASSAN ALMREI

Isolation Cell, Metropolitan West Detention Centre Toronto, Canada September 3, 2005 This is a note for the people of Canada, and for all the people demonstrating today at this jail.: I, Hassan Almrei, am in day 73 of my sixth hunger strike since October, 2001, when I was arrested on a security certificate. I have not been charged with anything, ever, in this country or in Syria, and my home for the past four years has been four walls in a 9 X 12 solitary confinement cell. I am held on secret evidence. My hunger strike is not just for myself. It is for all the people who face these conditions of detention. I am sad that the Ontario government will not give me my basic human rights. These rights are in international law and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This is why we need to go to court on October 11 to fight for these rights. I wish the government would save the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars and give me my rights, but they are insisting we go to court. Many people have asked me to stop my hunger strike. They have said how upset they are. They have sympathy for these issues. I appreciate this. But sympathy is not enough. People need to speak up, to challenge this secret evidence, the deportations to torture, this indefinite detention in solitary confinement, for me, for the other secret trial detainees, for anyone in this situation. In the past week, I have heard about demonstrations in Canada supporting my demands. I have heard that hundreds and hundreds of people have been writing, calling, faxing Monte Kwinter, Paul Martin, Anne McLellan, and Joe Volpe. This has given me hope. Despite everything that has happened to me, I still think Canada is the best country in the whole world. The response of the Canadian people to my hunger strike confirms this for me. When they know what is really happening, people in Canada do care. I also want to thank the guards in segregation and the health unit at Metro West, who have shown very great concern for me during this hunger strike. The hunger strike is my only voice in here. It is the only way I have to wake people up to what is going on in here. You, the Canadian people, have helped me make my voice very loud and clear. I want to thank you a million times for this. My words can't express how much I feel and appreciate your support, and your concern about my health. I wish there were something I could give all of you. Mahatma Gandhi went on hunger strikes in India. Sometimes he would stop them when he saw positive things happening, when he saw a reason to believe in hope. Because of the new hope you have given me, today I will end my hunger strike, but NOT my struggle for my rights. So please, as my voice on the outside, I need you to keep speaking up, to not be afraid, and to come to court on October 11 for my hearing. I need you to speak up about the secret trials, about the conditions of detention, about the deportations to torture. I hope I can meet each and every one of you someday soon. But for now, someone else holds the key to my door. Thank you very much. Hassan Almrei MORE INFO:
Campaign to Stop Secret Trials in Canada tel 416 651 5800 [email] [link]