The Honourable Vic Toews,

Minister of Public Safety,

Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6

Canada

Dear Minister:

I urge you to take swift action to approve Omar Khadr’s pending request to be transferred out of Guantánamo Bay and back to Canada.

July 27th 2012 marked the 10th anniversary of Omar Khadr being taken into custody by US soldiers in Afghanistan, when he was just 15 years old. Omar Khadr was then held in Afghanistan for 3 months, before being transferred to Guantanamo Bay, where he has remained ever since.

Omar Khadr has endured a decade of human rights violations, without relief or remedy. Amnesty International has repeatedly expressed concern that Canada has failed to intervene to ensure that Omar Khadr’s rights were properly safeguarded. As a result, numerous serious concerns, including his rights as a child soldier, detention without charge or trial, credible allegations of torture and ill-treatment, access to legal counsel and family visits, and fair trial provisions, have been disregarded by US officials.

The plea deal agreed to by Mr. Khadr in October 2010 was based on the understanding that, as of October 31, 2011 he would be eligible for transfer back to Canada. The Government of Canada acknowledged and accepted that transfer was integral to the plea deal by means of a diplomatic note provided to the US government at the time. In November 2010 former Minister of Foreign Affairs Lawrence Cannon stated that “we will implement the agreement that was reached between Mr.Khadr and the government of the United States.” US officials have indicated they would support the transfer and are in fact eager to see it go through to encourage other detainees at Guantánamo to enter into similar deals. His transfer application has been with your office for well over a year; and all necessary approvals for his transfer have been finalized by US officials. Your prompt approval of this transfer application will demonstrate that the Canadian government is now taking a strong stand for full and proper protection of Mr. Khadr’s rights.

Yours Sincerely

Please send copies to:

Mr. Gordon Campbell, High Commissioner for Canada

High Commission of Canada to the United Kingdom in London

Macdonald House
1 Grosvenor Square
London, W1K 4AB
Fax: 0207 258 6333