Sweeping gag orders in new security law unfair to suspects, suit argues

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

by Canadian Press
Source: Canadian Press
URL: [link]
Date: September 26, 2006


TORONTO — Gag orders under Canada's revamped security law make it impossible for special lawyers with top-secret clearances to effectively represent foreigners detained as threats to the country's safety, a lawsuit slated to be heard Friday claims.

As a result, the reworked legislation is still unfair to terrorist suspects and needs to be changed or, at the very least clarified, the suit before Federal Court argues.

The constitutional challenge - supported by several special advocates - was filed by suspected Syrian terrorist Hassan Almrei. He has been detained in Toronto without charge or trial for seven years based on secret information.

The law was enacted earlier this year in response to a Supreme Court of Canada condemnation of the old legislation as unfair.

At issue was the secrecy that left detainees, and their lawyers, in the dark regarding the evidence used to detain them as a national security risk.

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