Canada needs to bring Mr. El Attar home

Canada needs to bring Mr. El Attar home

Non-partisan coalition calls on the Government of Canada to take the steps necessary to secure Mohamed El Attar’s release from prison and return to Canada.

Watch The March 9 news conference.

OTTAWA – One Free World International held a news conference in Ottawa today calling on the federal government to act to bring Mohamed El Attar home to Canada. Wrongfully convicted on trumped up charges of spying for Israel in 2007, Mr. El Attar has been languishing in Egyptian prison.

After nearly a decade behind bars, Canadians are speaking out to renew the effort to advocate for his release and return him home to Canada. OFWI is calling on the Government of Canada to:

1. Fight for Mr. El Attar’s rights and request his immediate release from Egypt and return to Canada.
2. Update Canadians on their effort to secure Mr. El Attar’s release.
3. Commit to advocating for Mr. El Attar’s rights and release at all meetings and forums where Canada engages with Egyptian government.

One Free World International, led by President and Founder Majed El Shafie was supported at the news conference by a non-partisan distinguished group of parliamentarians and retired public officials:

• Hon. Peter Kent, PC, MP, Official Opposition Foreign Affairs Critic
• Hélène Laverdière, MP, NDP Critic for Foreign Affairs
• Elizabeth May, MP, Leader of the Green Party of Canada
• Hon. Irwin Cotler, PC, OC, Founder & Chair of Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, Former Attorney General of Canada & Minister of Justice
• Andy Ellis, retired Assistant Director, Operations, CSIS

Mohamed El-Attar Biographical History

• Born in 1970 in Cairo, Egypt.
• In 2001, El Attar was arrested in Cairo after crashing a car.
• In 2002 he sought asylum in Turkey and was resettled to Canada as a UNHCR refugee.
• Worked as a CIBC bank teller in Toronto.

15 Year Prison Sentence – Convicted of Spying for Israel

In 2007, El Attar flew to Egypt to see family and friends but was promptly arrested upon his arrival on trumped up charges of spying for the Israelis.

On April 20, 2007 he was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in Egyptian prison.

The trial took place in a secret National Security court, which has been widely decried by rights activists in Egypt who generally support trying civilians in proper criminal courts where they have the right to appeal.

There is no possibility for appeal in his case, and now only a pardon from the Egyptian President would change the fate of El Attar.

Forced Confession Under Torture

His lawyer stated that El Attar confessed when the Egyptian authorities presented him with copious amounts of evidence against him. El Attar later stated that he confessed only after days of torture. Allegedly he was forced to drink his own urine, was given electro-shock therapy, and his family in Egypt was threatened. There is no official evidence that El Attar was tortured, even though tactics such as torture are commonly used in Egypt. El Attar’s conviction was exclusively based on his confession extracted through torture.

In an interrogation transcript, El Attar allegedly admits that he was paid $500 for each espionage report he filed on the Toronto Arab community. Allegedly, El Attar was prompted by Israeli authorities in Turkey to convert to Christianity and to help recruit people to spy on Egypt. According to El Attar’s lawyer, there is little evidence against him in this case.

OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE CANADA-YAZIDI ACTION COALITION

Federal government announcement of Yazidi resettlement welcomed; but leading human rights and refugee support organizations left with more questions than answers

TORONTO – A group of non-governmental organizations, private refugee sponsors, Yazidi-Canadians, and concerned Canadians from across the country are announcing the launch of the Canada-Yazidi Action Coalition (CYAC) with a 5-point call to action for the Canadian government.

“Thousands of Yazidis are displaced and more must be done to help these victims of genocide,” said Hadji Hesso, spokesperson for the Canada-Yazidi Action Coalition. “While the coalition welcomes the news of future government action, the community is being left in the dark on details, underscoring the urgent need for a strong voice for our threatened community.”

Minister Hussen’s February 21 announcement of the Government’s response to the House of Commons unanimously adopted motion left Coalition members with more questions than answers. In the coming weeks and months, the coalition will continue to advocate for the plight of the Yazidis and will not stop until Canada has taken a number of steps to fulfill the moral obligation to respond to the Yazidi genocide.

Canadians interested in learning more can visit ofwi.org/cyac and are asked to sign the petition at: https://www.change.org/p/government-of-canada-must-support-yazidi-genocide-victims

Condemn violence wherever it occurs

On Sunday night a shooter entered a mosque in Quebec City and brazenly killed six men praying and injuring several others. One Free World International condemns this attack. Violence and hatred have no place in Canada.

As an international human rights organization, we are sadly all too familiar with the plight of religious minorities around the world. The pain we feel when Christian churches in the Middle East and Africa are violently attacked allows us to sympathize with the wives and children whose fathers and husbands were killed in Sunday's attack. Our condolences go out to them in this time of grief.

Our values of openness and respect for the dignity of each human being cannot be comprised. Hatred for others cannot be tolerated. We cannot accept or excuse an attack on a mosque in Canada.

We have welcomed people from around the world for generations and this strength of Canadian society. We must continue to have confidence in the Canadian people to defend and protect our values. Just as we have spoken up for Christians at home and around the world and combat anti-Semitism, we will speak out against those who perpetrate hate against our Muslim brothers.

Please say a prayer for those who lost loved ones in this attack on a place of worship. And join us in continuing to fight for justice and human rights around the world.

Sincerely, Rev. Majed El Shafie President & Founder One Free World International

Watch this CTV News report from inside the Quebec City mosque:

Fox News: Fighting ISIS in the Battle for Mosul

On Sunday, January 8 Fox News will air a special documentary, "War Stories: Fighting ISIS in the Battle for Mosul." Watch to learn more about our work in Iraq & Syria rescuing Yazidi sex slaves from ISIS' deadly grip. Watch a preview here:

Building Bridges: OFWI Hosts Green Party Leader and Jewish Community

January 3, 2017

One Free World International started 2017 off by hosting the Leader of Canada's Green Party, Elizabeth May, and leaders from the Canadian Jewish community. After the Green Party's motion to boycott Israel last fall, OFWI gave Ms. May the chance to share what she has done as Leader to defend against those seeking to use her Party to delegitimize Israel.

Ms. May stated she supports Israel's right to exist and will continue to be vigilant in her efforts to push for constructive dialogue that encourages Israelis and Palestinians to make peace. Jewish community leaders welcomed her denunciation of anti-Semitism and her pledge to work with the community to grow the Green Party's support for Israel and defend its right to exist.