46 NGOs endorse Report to the UN on Canada’s failure to prevent and punish violations of Omar Khadr’s universally protected rights

Canadian-Arab Federation

December 20, 2008

On September 8, 2008, Lawyers Rights Watch Canada (LRWC) filed a report (Universal Periodic Review of Canada: Report of Lawyers Rights Watch Canada) for consideration by the UN Human Rights Council at the February 2009 Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Canada. The purpose of the UPR is to review Canada’s fulfillment of human rights obligations and commitments arising from a number of instruments, including the: Charter of the United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

The LRWC report identifies Canada's failure to abide by legal obligations to prevent and punish violations of the internationally protected rights of Canadian citizen Omar Khadr (including non-derogable rights to due process and freedom from torture and other ill treatment) and Canada's acquiescence to and participation in, US violations of those rights.

As of December 15, 2008 46 NGOs have endorsed that report. The endorsing NGOs represent lawyers, religious groups, labour, peace and social justice activists, journalists, artists, academics and international human rights defenders. The attached list of the 46 endorsing NGOs has been sent to the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights.

The NGOs endorsing the UN Report indicate the breadth of support for official recognition of Omar Khadr’s rights and of opposition to government inaction. The list of endorsements also signals the growing demand that governments act in accordance with national and international human rights laws irrespective of geographical boundaries.

Lawyers Against the War
Tel: +1 604 738-0338
Fax: +1 604 736-1175
Email: law@portal.ca
Website: www.lawyersagainstthewar.org

Khaled Mouammar
National President
Canadian Arab Federation
Tel: +1 416 879-6766
Email: benwalid@rogers.com

Fair Use Notice

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.