A Statement from organizations and individuals in Canada to Prime Minister Trudeau and Canada’s Ambassador to the USA Kirsten Hillman
We join in calling for the immediate release of Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab by the USA.
Alex Saab is a lawfully appointed diplomat to the African Union. Arresting and holding a diplomat for any reason is a violation of international law.
We join with Canadian civil society in a call to Trudeau in his new mandate to not follow the dictates of USA foreign policy, and to condemn the kidnapping of Ambassador Saab, noting that is a violation of the Vienna Convention and violates international law.
Alex Saab was kidnapped, held and tortured under orders from the Trump administration. Now the President Biden has extradited Alex Saab to the USA. This is clearly a violation of international law.
Alex Saab has been held in complete isolation in Cabo Verde from June 2020 and is in a life-threatening crisis having been denied treatment for cancer. Beyond the international law violations and flagrant disregard for diplomatic immunity, Alex Saab must be immediately released on humanitarian grounds as well.
We call on Canada to demand that the USA Biden administration release Saab immediately to Venezuela to receive medical treatment.
The United Nations has repeatedly condemned the use of unilateral coercive measures as a violation of international law. Recognizing that unilateral coercive sanctions violate basic human rights and sanctions undermine peaceful relations and the sovereign equality of nations, we urge the Canadian government to:
- Undertake and apply a review of Canadian foreign policy with respect to UN Charter principles regarding multilateralism and the sovereign equality of nations.
- Abrogate all unilateral coercive measures adopted outside the UN Security Council. This would involve a specific review of the Special Economics Measures Act, and
- Implement the 16 point plan proposed by UN Special Rapporteur Alena Douhan with respect to the pandemic (see 16 Point Plan: https://reliefweb.int/report/world/covid-19-human-rights-guidance-note-covid-19-pandemic-humanitarian-concerns-and )
Canadian Organizations
Just Peace Advocates/Mouvement Pour Une Paix Juste
Louis Riel Bolivarian Circle
Canadian Foreign Policy Institute
World Beyond War
Socialist Action / Ligue pour l’Action socialiste
Justice for All Canada
International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS-Canada)
Fire This Time Movement for Social Justice
Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO) – Vancouver
Greater Toronto 4 BDS
Hamilton Coalition To Stop The War
International Organizations
ACAT France
Workers’ World Media Production, South Africa
Reprinted from:
www.justpeaceadvocates.ca
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