Post by janet on Jan 1, 2008 11:29:53 GMT -5
Concern is growing over the fate of Mohamed Kohail, the 22-year-old Canadian facing a possible death sentence in Saudi Arabia over allegations he was involved in the killing of a young man in a schoolyard brawl a year ago.
Particularly alarming are reports that Mr. Kohail's trial has been under way for at least three months, while the court has systematically barred Mr. Kohail's legal counsel, his father and representatives of the Canadian embassy from attending.
"There seems to be a lack of clarity and transparency in the case," said Barry Gaiptman, a guidance counsellor at Place-Cartier, an adult-education centre in Montreal's West Island where Mr. Kohail was a student before moving to Saudi Arabia in 2006. "There is a lot of stuff going on behind closed doors."
"One of the basic principles of a fair trial is that it should be open and public," said Alex Neve, secretary-general of Amnesty International Canada. "And trials in Saudi Arabia are rarely fair."
"This should be a case of utmost priority concern for the Canadian government," Mr. Neve continued. While recognizing the sensitivity of the Saudi authorities to outside intervention, Mr. Neve said that the Canadian government should remind the Saudis that holding a fair trial is not about national sovereignity.
"This is about the international values that Saudi Arabia should be upholding," Mr. Neve said in an interview.
Mr. Kohail and his 16-year old brother, Sultan, who are of Palestinian origin, were born in Saudi Arabia, livd with their family in Montreal between 200 and 2006 and became Canadians.
After their return to Saudi Arabia, Sultan bean attending Edugates International School in Heddah, whre the brawl erupted on Jan. 13, leading to the death of Munzer Haraki, 18.
Mohamed Kohail has persisted in proclaiming his innocence in the case, including a mobile phone interviews earlier this year with The Globe and Mail from his prison cell. He insists Saudi authorities forced him to sign a confession.
According to sources close to the trial, hearings have been taking place every 2 to 3 weeks, with the 7th hering expected any day now.
The hearings have a set routine. Mr. Kohail is wakened in his prison cell at 6 a.m., places in shackles and driven to a local court room, where the three judges in the case hear a witness to the incident. Sometimes, the hearing ends after only 10 or 15 minutes. There is no cross-examination because the defendant's lawyer is not allowed in the courtroom, although the victim's family is represented. Witnesses in the case have reportedly provided conflicting accounts of the brawl that led to the young man's death. Some say Mr. Kohail beat the young man with a rock while others have reportedly testified he was completely innocent.
It's still unclear exactly how Mr. Haraki died, although members of the victim's family insist that the Kohail brothers are to blame and should pay the ultimate price, death by beheading.
A spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Department would not confirm reports that Canadian consular officials have been excluded from the trial.
He said only that embassy officials continue to monitor the case closely and are in touch with the family of the accused.
(source: Toronto Globe and Mail)
............................................
Is this yet another example of the Canadian governments new foreign policy of non-intervention on behalf of Canadian citizens in "stable democracies"?
Particularly alarming are reports that Mr. Kohail's trial has been under way for at least three months, while the court has systematically barred Mr. Kohail's legal counsel, his father and representatives of the Canadian embassy from attending.
"There seems to be a lack of clarity and transparency in the case," said Barry Gaiptman, a guidance counsellor at Place-Cartier, an adult-education centre in Montreal's West Island where Mr. Kohail was a student before moving to Saudi Arabia in 2006. "There is a lot of stuff going on behind closed doors."
"One of the basic principles of a fair trial is that it should be open and public," said Alex Neve, secretary-general of Amnesty International Canada. "And trials in Saudi Arabia are rarely fair."
"This should be a case of utmost priority concern for the Canadian government," Mr. Neve continued. While recognizing the sensitivity of the Saudi authorities to outside intervention, Mr. Neve said that the Canadian government should remind the Saudis that holding a fair trial is not about national sovereignity.
"This is about the international values that Saudi Arabia should be upholding," Mr. Neve said in an interview.
Mr. Kohail and his 16-year old brother, Sultan, who are of Palestinian origin, were born in Saudi Arabia, livd with their family in Montreal between 200 and 2006 and became Canadians.
After their return to Saudi Arabia, Sultan bean attending Edugates International School in Heddah, whre the brawl erupted on Jan. 13, leading to the death of Munzer Haraki, 18.
Mohamed Kohail has persisted in proclaiming his innocence in the case, including a mobile phone interviews earlier this year with The Globe and Mail from his prison cell. He insists Saudi authorities forced him to sign a confession.
According to sources close to the trial, hearings have been taking place every 2 to 3 weeks, with the 7th hering expected any day now.
The hearings have a set routine. Mr. Kohail is wakened in his prison cell at 6 a.m., places in shackles and driven to a local court room, where the three judges in the case hear a witness to the incident. Sometimes, the hearing ends after only 10 or 15 minutes. There is no cross-examination because the defendant's lawyer is not allowed in the courtroom, although the victim's family is represented. Witnesses in the case have reportedly provided conflicting accounts of the brawl that led to the young man's death. Some say Mr. Kohail beat the young man with a rock while others have reportedly testified he was completely innocent.
It's still unclear exactly how Mr. Haraki died, although members of the victim's family insist that the Kohail brothers are to blame and should pay the ultimate price, death by beheading.
A spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Department would not confirm reports that Canadian consular officials have been excluded from the trial.
He said only that embassy officials continue to monitor the case closely and are in touch with the family of the accused.
(source: Toronto Globe and Mail)
............................................
Is this yet another example of the Canadian governments new foreign policy of non-intervention on behalf of Canadian citizens in "stable democracies"?