麻豆影视

Skip to main content

Federal Court of Appeal: Canada not constitutionally obligated to bring home suspected ISIS fighters

Share

The Government of Canada has won its appeal and will not be legally forced to repatriate four Canadian men from prisons in Northeast Syria.

A Federal Court of Appeal decision has ruled that "The Government of Canada is not constitutionally obligated or otherwise obligated at law to repatriate the respondents. However these reasons should not be taken to discourage the Government of Canada from making efforts on its own to bring about that result."

The federal government suspects the men left Canada to join the Islamic State group during the Syrian civil war.  

The men have been detained for years in Kurdish prisons, following the collapse of the ISIS. But none of them have been charged nor has evidence of terrorist activities been presented in court.

Canada, along with other countries has also faced pressure from the United Nations and human rights group to bring their nationals home.

At the crux of the case known as Canada v. BOLOH (Bring Our Loved Ones Home) was a debate over Section 6 of the Charter which states "every citizen of Canada, has the right to enter, remain and leave Canada."

NO CHARTER GUARANTEE OF RIGHT TO RETURN

Lawyers representing the detainees argued that a "right to enter" means a "right to return" - but the panel of three appellate judges disagreed. In its analysis of past legal decisions, the appeal court wrote that the Charter protects against exile and banishment but "offers no encouragement for the idea that Subsection 6(1) includes a right to be returned to Canada."

The appeal panel acknowledged that starting in 2011, the government had repeatedly warned Canadians not to enter Syria due to a brutal civil war. Canada had also closed its embassy in Damascus in 2012 and warned citizens that it could not provide assistance in the country.

The ruling also found that exposing officials to "personal danger" to bring back a person detained in a territory controlled by a non-state entity falls "outside the outer edges" of the charter. The Canadians are held in prisons operated by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.

The decision from the Federal Court of Appeal overturns an earlier decision by Federal Court Justice Henry Brown in January of this year.

Lawrence Greenspon, who represents three of the four detainees, said that he will review the decision and weigh appealing to the Supreme Court.

"We felt the decision of by Federal Court Justice Brown was one we thought was on good legal ground... and we're considering whether or not to send an application for leave to the Supreme Court of Canada," said Greenspon in an interview with CTV National News.

PERPETUATING 鈥淎RBITRARY DETENTION AND TORTURE鈥

Sally Lane, whose son Jack Letts is the only detainee identified in the court documents said in a text message that she was "too downhearted" after finding out about the decision on Wednesday afternoon.

In previous interviews, Lane says her son converted to Islam as a teenager and travelled to Syria in 2014 to help fellow Muslims. She says Letts is not a terrorist and she has not heard from her son since 2019.

Lane did express her , saying the Federal Court of Appeal has made a "clear choice to perpetuate the arbitrary detention and torture of my son and the other Canadians."

"The decision is nothing but victim blaming and narrow legalese that stands in utter contempt of human rights law and fails to rise to the challenge of the moment," Lane's statement posted on Twitter goes on to say.

CANADIAN WOMEN AND CHILDREN STILL STRANDED IN CAMPS

This appellate decision does not impact the fate of Canadian women and children that the government has agreed to repatriate. In April, 14 women and children were brought back from Al-Roj detention camp, but five people with Edmonton roots were left behind.

Greenspon said that Global Affairs Canada is committed to bringing them home. A Quebec woman and her six children are also waiting to be brought back after delays in processing the mother's security assessment.

Another group of mothers are currently suing the federal government for repatriation. Canada has agreed to bring home their children, who are the offspring of Canadian fathers who may have died or disappeared in Syria, but not their foreign mothers.

Several women the government suspected of marrying ISIS fighters face terrorism related charges or have been put on a terrorism peace bond. Since their return these Canadians have been placed under strict conditions and placed in de-radicalization programs.

IN DEPTH

Opinion

opinion

opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province鈥檚 police watchdog.

Local Spotlight

For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.

A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

Stay Connected