Terror suspects subjected to 'torture': lawyers

From http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060612/terror_pubban_060612/20060612?hub=CTVNewsAt11


Terror suspects subjected to 'torture': lawyers

CTV.ca News June 13 2006

A Brampton, Ontario justice of the peace has imposed a publication ban on the proceedings against 17 terror suspects, just hours after lawyers for the suspects said their clients endured "cruel and unusual punishment" behind bars which amounted to "torture."
"That torture includes being kept in a room that's lit 24 hours a day, being woken up every half-hour, being beaten by the guards, on and on and on," said lawyer Rocco Galati outside the court.
Lawyers for the suspects also seemed to believe that the publication ban comes too late.
"They want to close the restaurant after they've had the buffet," Galati told reporters.
He also said in the 48 hours after the arrests, a lot of the information in the case was released to the media.

Defence lawyer Arif Raza expressed a similar sentiment, saying he sees no need for a ban now that much of the information has been released to the public.
"Rather than have speculation in the press, I think that justice would be better served by accurately reporting what precisely had happened in the court rather than speculate," said Raza.
Ahmad Shehab, a Muslim counsellor, called it a "publication scam."
"If you accuse people you might as well show things, clear, transparent, due process, crystal clear evidence so the public could see," Shehab said outside the courthouse west of Toronto.
Lawyers for some of the terror suspects appeared outside of the court earlier to discuss their clients' jail stay.

David Kolinsky, lawyer for Zakaria Amara, said his client was pushed down by a guard, who shoved a finger into his cheek.
"My client (said) as he was being searched, the guard touched his ribs and he's ticklish. He giggled a bit and he was pinned down on the ground," Kolinsky told the swarm of reporters.
"The guard drilled his finger and knuckle into his cheek quite hard and he said 'Is this funny?'"
Galati, who represents 21-year-old Ahmad Mustafa Ghany, also alleged mistreatment.
He said the suspects have been forced to sit in a room with a light for 24 hours a day. They have also not been allowed outside for five days straight.

Galati said the men and youths have been subject to "unprecedented" treatment -- and that they have been declared guilty in public by not only Toronto's mayor and some Muslim community leaders, but also Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

"Within mere days of the arrests, the prime minister of Canada and the mayor of Toronto publicly declared the guilt of the accused," Galati said outside the courthouse.
Because of this, Galati questioned whether the accused can get a fair trial.
Lawyers have also argued that they are not getting the access to clients that they need.
Galati said he has been denied access to his client "because they are not willing to give access that is not monitored or overheard by guards, which is not acceptable to us as lawyers."
On Sunday, Raza -- who represents 19-year-old Saad Khalid -- said he has seen a significant improvement in his client's treatment in jail.

"I was actually able to meet him physically, not across a barrier," Raza told The Canadian Press after meeting with his client at the Maplehurst correctional facility in Milton, Ont.
"It's a far superior method of communicating with each other. The environment was much more friendly."

Raza said his client's father was also allowed to visit on the weekend, which made his client smile.
"At least now he has some human contact, which has definitely improved his appearance," Raza said.