An Open Letter to Federal Court re Security Certificates

posted on February 27, 2008 | in Category Security Certificates | PermaLink

Source: The Campaign to Stop Secret Trials In Canada and The Justice for Mohamed Harkat Committee URL: N/A Date: February 27, 2008 For Immediate Release Secret Trial Opponents Protest Placement of Unfounded, Dangerous Allegations on Federal Court website

The following letter was sent this afternoon to Chief Justice Allan Lutfy of the Federal Court of Canada expressing concerns that unfounded allegations based on secret suspicions have been prominently placed on the Federal Court of Canada website, thereby harming the fair trial opportunities available to those named in security certificates and contributing to the character assassination that this process entails. For further information: Matthew Behrens, for the Campaign to Stop Secret Trials in Canada, (416) 651-5800 == Campaign to Stop Secret Trials in Canada PO Box 73620 509 St. Clair Ave. West Toronto, ON M6C 1C0 (416) 651-5800, [email] February 27, 2008 Open Letter Re Concerns About Federal Court of Canada Website and Security Certificates

Chief Justice Allan Lutfy Federal Court of Canada Ottawa, ON Dear Chief Justice Lutfy, We are writing with the profoundest of concerns about the unprecedented placement on the front page of the Federal Court website of the public summaries of the security intelligence reports with respect to the five men subject to security certificate. While we appreciate that the Federal Court, among many players connected to this issue, is no doubt concerned about the need for better disclosure in these cases, it seems neither in the public interest, nor in the interests of the fair hearing rights of these individuals, to have such incendiary allegations posted in the absence of context, without supporting documentation (or at least a reference to the fact that that documentation is likely to be secret), and without giving the named men an opportunity to respond.

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