Bartamaha (Canada):- We invite you to join Canadian Somalis in a peaceful demonstration to show our support for the Makhtal Family and to demand that the Canadian Government bring Bashir Makhtal back to Canada
When: January 20, 2011 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Where: Outside the Prime Minister’s office and right across the Canadian parliament at 80 Wellington Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Our stand on the Bashir Makhtal case
January 20, 2011 will mark 4 years since Mr. Bashir Makhtal, a Canadian citizen of Somali heritage, was illegally handed to Ethiopia by Kenyan authorities. The Ethiopian government has engaged in the serious abuse of Mr. Makhtal’s human rights including denying him medical attention, the right to a fair trial and the right to adequate legal representation. Mr. Makhtal is in failing health and is now serving a life sentence prison term after an unfair trial on what the Canadian government agrees are trumped up charges. The Canadian government has stated that they believe in his innocence. He stands accused of providing support to an opposition group in Ethiopia. However, given the profoundly unfair nature of the legal proceedings, the basis of those accusations have never been made clear and no credible evidence in support of the charges has ever been made public. Instead, much of the basis of the case has seemed to stem from the mere fact that Mr. Makhtal’s grandfather was once an Ogadeni leader. Canadian Somali Congress has repeatedly called on the Ethiopian authorities to release Mr. Makhtal given that he received an unfair trial. We call on the Canadian government to demand his release and tell the Ethiopian government that they risk losing $100 million a year in Canadian aid if they don’t release this Canadian citizen.
For more information contact:
Canadian Somali Congress
Tel:
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.canadiansomalicongress.com
