Review ordered in Diab case
OTTAWA • Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould has asked for an independent review of an extradition that resulted in Ottawa professor Hassan Diab spending three years in a French jail, only to be suddenly released.
The external review — which has not started — is in addition to an internal “lessons learned” examination already underway, a spokesman for Wilson-Raybould said Wednesday.
French authorities suspected Diab, 64, was involved in the 1980 bombing of a Paris synagogue that killed four people and injured dozens of others, an accusation he has always denied.
The sociology professor and his supporters have been urging the federal government to hold a full public inquiry into the case and to reform the Extradition Act to ensure individual rights are respected.
In a letter Tuesday to Amnesty International Canada and the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association, Wilson-Raybould said Diab was afforded “all of the procedural safeguards” under the Extradition Act and that his charter rights were considered during Canadian court proceedings.
“Nonetheless, due to the three-year-period that Dr. Diab spent in custody in France, I have been reflecting carefully on this case,” said her letter.
“As you know, Department of Justice Canada officials have undertaken a ‘lessons learned’ review of the Diab extradition proceedings. I have also asked for an independent external review of this matter.”
Josh Paterson, executive director of the B.C. association, said Wednesday he is seeking answers from the minister about the independent review, including whether the findings will be made public.
“Who will be or has been appointed? What is the scope of the review? Will they have the power to require the department to co-operate with them?”
Amnesty’s Alex Neve welcomed the minister’s intention but he called for a thorough public inquiry that probes the conduct of Canadian officials, to be led by a respected judge with access to documents and powers to compel testimony.
The inquiry must ensure Diab’s full involvement and allow for input from parties concerned with Canada’s extradition system, Neve added.
No other information about the external review was immediately available from Wilson-Raybould’s office.