Maher Arar: His Story Shocked the Country
Posted on: 01/08/07

"You are the true heroes.Had it not been for your work and support, I don't think we would have achieved what we achieved. Thank you."
Maher Arar, speaking to Amnesty International members and staff.

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Maher Arar arrived in Canada in 1987 from Syria, where he was born, and became a Canadian citizen in 1991. On September 26, 2002, he was on his way home from a family vacation in Tunisia when he was detained at New York’s JFK Airport. He was interrogated, imprisoned and accused of being a terrorist. Twelve days later, he "disappeared" from U.S. custody. It was later revealed that he was handcuffed and shackled, put on a private jet and flown to Jordan. Shortly after he was driven over the border to a Syrian prison, where he was interrogated and tortured, and forced to sign false confessions. He was held without charge or trial, locked in a tiny, dark, grave-like underground cell for over ten months.

Public pressure in Canada mounted for Maher Arar’s release, led by his wife, Monia Mazigh. Maher Arar was finally released on October 5, 2003 and returned to Canada. Upon his return, Maher Arar, along with human rights organizations in Canada called for a public inquiry into his detention. On February 5th, 2004, the Canadian government established the Commission of Inquiry into the Actions of Canadian Officials in Relation to Maher Arar. In the final report, Justice Denis O’Connor, who headed the Commission confirmed that Canadian officials were complicit in the torture of Maher Arar and other Canadian citizens. Justice O'Connor recommended extensive changes in how national security investigations are conducted and overseen. Maher Arar received a formal apology from Prime Minister Stephen Harper and compensation for his terrible experience.

Recently, portions of the Report which were blacked out for “national security” reasons have been publicly released. This information indicates that Canadian officials believed that the United States would send Maher Arar to another country to be interrogated using torture, demonstrating further the complicity of Canadian officials in the torture and ill-treatment of Maher Arar.

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Amnesty International’s Concerns

The case of Maher Arar has led to serious concerns about the counter-terrorism response of governments around the world which bypass or outright deny fundamental human rights. Governments have directly asserted or indirectly implied that the fight against “terrorism” requires a new understanding of human rights, and that it is legitimate to ignore some rights in the name of “security”. Amnesty International is seriously concerned about the lack of respect for human rights in the “war on terror” and has continued to campaign for human rights in dealing with security issues.

Amnesty International Canada is also concerned about an alarming pattern of deportation and torture, including the cases of three other Canadian citizens – Muayyed Nureddin, Ahmad Abou El-Maati, and Abdullah Almalki – who were also detained and allegedly tortured in Syria, not too unlike the case of Maher Arar. Following the conclusion of the Arar Commission, the Canadian government opened an internal Inquiry into these three cases. The Inquiry, headed by Justice Frank Iacobucci, is expected to report its findings in January 2008.

Amnesty’s Involvement

During Maher Arar’s detention, Amnesty International Canada lobbied Canadian, American and Syrian officials for his release, and raised concerns about torture, ill-treatment and arbitrary detention in Jordan and Syria. Upon his return to Canada, Amnesty International pressured the Canadian government for the Commission of Inquiry into Maher Arar’s case and held Intervenor Status at the Arar Inquiry. AI Canada is continuing its work on human rights in the “war on terror” and in working on the cases of the three men noted above.